


Le Coeur De La Mere

by Elenduen



Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Baby mere beings, First Time, M/M, Mpreg, Murder, Racism, Romance, Umm Merepreg?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-21
Packaged: 2018-03-14 11:27:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3408908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenduen/pseuds/Elenduen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU </p><p>Aramis and d`Artagnan are mere men, who fall in love with Pirates Athos and Porthos.</p><p>Their joy is tarnished by the infamous Pirate and Mere man/Mere maid killer Richelieu, who is bent on conquering the whole of Saint Louis Cove, and slaying the Pirate King Treville.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for this Prompt on the Kink Meme
> 
> Pirates and Mermaids (AU, Portamis, Athos/D'artagnan)
> 
>  
> 
> From: (Anonymous)  
> Pirate-Porthos and Athos, with their pretty Siren(merman) Aramis sailing the  
> high seas (or swimming in Aramis case), their home harbor being the pirate-cove  
> ruled over by the retired Pirate Treville (the other characters like Constance  
> and others are there as well).
> 
> Our three Inseparables encounter a angry young Merman named D'artagnan who is  
> looking for revenge and a pirate named Athos, yes you know where this is going.  
> Either way, I just want Pirates and Mermaids!

St Louis cove, ruled over by former pirate and master sailor Captain Treville  
was home to not just pirates, fishermen, and traders, but also to Mere people,  
specifically Sirens, who dwelt near the shore lines, often found sunning  
themselves upon the rocks with their tails swishing in the water below.  
Their kin, Selkies were deep sea dwellers, prefering the open oceans to the  
shallow shore line waters, seen at times riding the waves with dolphins.

St Louis had at one time been owned by a Pirate King by the name of Louis  
Bourbourne, however when he and his wife died childless he had left the cove to  
his old friend Treville who ruled with a fair but firm hand, allowing much  
freedom to the pirates whom he had once sailed among, but enforcing the laws he  
did make firmly.  
One of the greatest being that no mere being was to ever be captured, since the  
discovery of the mere people, the relationship between them and humans had been  
difficult, Rich and cruel lords and ladies wanting a Selkie or a Siren as a pet  
to keep in a pool as an attraction for display, or their beautiful incandescent  
skinned from their bodies to be used to make accesories!. Too many mere people  
had been mutilated and kidnapped during this time, Treville however had brought  
in a law that carried a death penalty if broken, that no mere being was to be  
hunted or captured under any circumstances, if one became entangled in a fish  
net then they were to be cut free at once.

This was incidently how Athos and Porthos came into contact with their very good  
friend and Siren Aramis.  
He and Porthos had been bringing their ship The Musketeers in to the cove  
harbour to dock for trading and supplies, letting their crew of twenty have  
shore leave, when Aramis had become entangled in a loose net, his long elegant  
tail twisted in the netting holding him tight as he`d tried to squirm free.

Porthos had leaped over the side of the ship, knife in his mouth and cut the  
siren free, that had been the start of a beautiful friendship, and relationship  
between Porthos and the Siren.  
Aramis was a very beautiful Siren, shoulder length thick black hair, creamy skin  
and dark eyes with a well trimmed beard and moustache, his tail was truly  
beautiful, a shimmering length of blues and silvers, that seemed to change shade  
as he moved, the long fin at the end nearly a foot in length.  
He and Porthos had embarked on their relationship almost immediately, Porthos  
having hand built a pool in his quaters to he and Aramis could be together more,  
a Mere being could only be out of the water for four or five hours before it  
killed them, something Athos was all to aware of.

Fives years before he had become crew and eventual captain of the Musketeers, he  
had been wed to a Selkie, a very beautiful Selkie, as exotic, mysterious, and  
captivating as all the tales told of them.  
She had gone by the name Anne de Bruiel when he had known her, he had wed her  
almost as soon as they had met, never knowing she had put a charm on him at the  
time, nore knowing her true nature, her nature as a manipulative murderer and  
theif, with a penchant to lure sailors with a hypnotic song, to their dooms,  
robbing their ships for all valuables.  
Athos Brother Thomas had discovered who and what she was only to end up being  
dragged into the ocean and drowned by her.

Athos had enacted vengence upon her, having her staked out on a beach, leaving  
her to die there, but taking her curse with him, the curse that if he were to  
ever love again, open his heart to true love once more then that love would die. 

 

"Beautiful day is`nt it?" Aramis asked as he lounged on the ship deck, his  
elegant tail draped in a bath tub of salt water, in his hand he held a cup of  
rum and pineapple which he drank from in short sips, "Clear sky and sun shine!,  
whats better than this?"  
"Blow it out your aquatic ass!" Athos growled rubbing his gritty eyes, and  
silently cursing his aching head  
"Hey!" came a deep voice from the crows next "Watch what you say t`my baby!",  
Athos glared at Porthos and chose to ignore him and a grinning Aramis who  
flicked his damn fin spraying water at Athos as he walked past  
"I`ll make fish fingers out of you yet!" he muttered wiping his face and  
scowling out from the bow of the ship squinting his eyes when he caught sight of  
something in the distance  
"Porthos?, what the holy hell is that?" he yelled pointing his finger  
"It`s............It looks like a Selkie or a Siren in distress" Porthos yelled  
back "He or she`s bleeding!, there blood in the water Captain!"  
"He`ll be shark bate!" Aramis gasped flipping up his tail and moving out of the  
tub, using his hands he propelled himself across the ship deck, up over the side  
and down into the sea below, which great speed he began to move through the  
water, his powerful tail sending him speeding through the waves towards the  
wounded mere being,  
"Theres a ship in the distance Captain" Porthos yelled "Red flagged, guess who"  
"Bastard Richelieu!" Athos cursed under his breath, the most viscious and  
unscrupuless Pirate of them all, Captain of the ship called Red Guard, "All  
hands battle stations!" he bellowed to the crew, "Full ahead!"  
"Aye Captain!".

Aramis moved swift as an eel through the water, his long hair fanning out behind  
him as he swam towards the young being, calling out with the ocean song,  
promising help and safety as he did, the oceans carrying the song to the second  
mere being who was calling out fear and anger and death, death of his Father, at  
the hands of Pirates!, Aramis felt the pain in his heart for the youngers loss  
and picked up speed guessing rightly that he had been wounded by the self same  
pirates that had killed his Father.

Above the two beings the two pirate ships moved over the waves picking up speed  
through the water, Aramis saw red in the sea, blood from a sea being, every  
shark in a three hundred mile radious would bee picking up it`s scent!, forcing  
himself on he came upon an exhausted Selkie, olive skin pale from blood loss,  
dark eyes heavily shadowed, he was bleeding from a harpoon wound to his left  
shoulder and deep slashes across his multi hued green tail split fin tail, where  
someone had been trying to skin him!  
"Come on!, I`ve friends on the ship above us!" Aramis said taking the youths  
hand, together they shot to the surface braking into the sun light with a spray  
of water,  
"ARAMIS!" came a bellow from Porthos, a net thrown in to the water towards them  
"GRab on we`ll pull you on board"  
"Okay" Aramis shouted back, keeping one arm about the Selkie he grabbed the net  
allowing them both to be hauled up onto the ship.

By now the Selkie was shaking and turning grey with blood loss and fatigue,  
needing urgent treatment if he were to survive,  
"Take him to my cabin" Porthos said "We`ll treat him there in the pool"  
"Poor boy can`t be more than twenty" Aramis said saddly "His father was murdered  
by pirates, and they`ve....well you can see....."  
"We`ll deal with that, you help him" Athos ordered turning to glare at the on  
coming ship, damn Richelieu anyway, killing a Selkie and trying to kill  
another!, Bastard should be hung drawn and quatered for it!,  
"Everyone get ready, we may be in for a fight!" he barked screwing his face up  
into a scowl as Porthos carried the young selkie and another crew man carried  
Aramis to the cabin.

 

Athos stood at the head of the Musketeer, pistol in hand as the Red Guard drew  
close enough for speach, on the oposite ship Rochfort, First mate of the Red  
Gaurd and right hand of the Captain Richelieu stood there a smirk on his scarred  
one eyed face  
"Captain" he greeted Athos "I believe you have something of ours"  
"I doubt that Rochfort" Athos replied coldly "We have nothing that belongs to  
anyone but ourselves and themselves"  
"You know what I`m referring to Athos!, what you just plucked out of the water!"  
"If by that you mean the Selkie boy, then I must remind you and your half rate  
crew of rum soaked pissants that killing mere beings is highly illegal!"  
"Damn the laws!, who cares about these scaled over grown fish!" Rochfort snarled  
"All they`re worth is slicing up and selling for meat!"  
"Keep talkin` like that you`ll be the one sliced up for meat!" Porthos growled  
coming up behind Athos and slapping a hand on his Captains shoulder "Not that  
anyone would be desperate enough to eat you!"  
"That you`ll pay for!" Rochfort snapped lifting a hand to order the men to  
battle, however a silken voice called from behind him "Rochfort enough, let them  
go", Richelieu appeared from the confines of his ship "Captain, our buisness is  
concluded, I suggest you and your men go on their way"  
"And I suggest you make for the high seas, and pray that Selkie dos`nt see fit  
to curse you" Athos replied "Because a Selkies curse always comes true".

A Selkie was different to a Siren, more dangerous, and mystical, prone to  
cursing those who wronged them, keeping to the oceans depths away from humans if  
they could help it, they were as beautiful as Sirens, but less sweet natured,  
more capricious and enchanting.  
They also had split fins instead a single long fin, and pattens on their  
shoulders, down their arms and round their wrists and throats, twisting black  
lines that looked like sea weed tattooed onto their flesh.

This particular Selkie was obviously very young, hardly twenty if that by the  
looks of his young features, Athos joined Porthos and Aramis in the humid cabin  
where Aramis was carefully stitching the Selkies wounds with silken thread  
harvested from a sea plant, sewing with a shread from a crabs claw  
"How are you?" Athos asked  
"I`ll live" the Selkie replied, his voice lilting just like Anne`s had been,  
though his eyes were a dark chocolate brown instead of green, and his skin as  
the colour returned to it was olive not pale, "Will he be?" Athos asked Aramis  
as the Siren tended him  
"Should be" Aramis replied with a smile "Whats your name anyway young one"  
"D`Artagnan" came the abrupt reply "Just patch me up and I`ll be on my way  
thankyou"  
"On your way where?" Porthos asked "Aramis said those Bastards killed your  
Father"  
"They did, so I`m gonna kill every fuckin` one of `em, and that bitch Selkie the  
Captain`s got" d`Artagnan snarled  
"Selkie?, he has a Selkie?" Aramis asked pausing in his work "As a captive?"  
"No, she lives with him freely, like you do here, she works for him, to capture  
Selkies and Sirens to sell" d`Artagnan replied bitterly "Makes it look like  
she`s trying to escape them, calling for help, then when you go in to help  
her...."  
"The sons of bitches capture you" Porthos finished in disgust shaking his head  
"I`m sorry lad, I really am"  
"Not as sorry as that bitch`ll be" d`Artagnan growled pursing his lips to begin  
to whistle, a low volume but high pitch whistle, sending a curse out across the  
ocean, his dark eyes seeming to grow blacker and the waves themselves moving to  
the flow of his breath as he whistled  
"Those who wronged me I place a curse on thee, Captain of the Red Guard  
Richelieu, Rochfort and Milady, with these words you will be cursed, by the  
powers of the sea, I curse thee".


	2. Chapter 2

Milady swished her long obsidian black tail with a split maroon fin, she lay   
back in her pool of salt water, on a bed of seaweed and coral, her long black   
curls about her shoulders which were beautifully decorated in the swirling black   
pattern of Selkies, her breasts like all Selkie and Siren females were covered   
in the same smooth scales as their tails, unlike the males who chests were bare.

Neither Selkie nore Siren gestated the same as Humans, for six months the fetus   
would be carried inside the body, then would be delivered inside a membranous   
sack that look very much like a translucent egg, where it would remain for   
another three months before tearing it`s way out of the shell at birth, the   
young started to swim straight away, their small tails wriggling and flapping   
easily, moving with great speed if not co-ordination, much to the parents   
stress!, they did not nurse their young either, feeding them on fish eggs, and   
other soft foods until they were old enough for solids.

These differences had led to some problems when mixed marriages had started, the   
offspring of such bondings could be either Mere child or human, and the partners   
struggle with raising the young, something Milady had wondered about during her   
brief marriage to Athos, though with Athos she had gone by the name Anne de   
Bruiel, and before that Charlotte Braxton, now she was Milady de Winter, and she   
had never born a child to Athos, she was a Murderer a thief, was the Captain of   
the Red Guard`s creature, and the man himself now entered her cabin glowering at   
her.

"Your men are fools, they let the boy slip through their fingers and into that   
crews hands" She said without preamble "And now the little bastard has cursed   
us!"  
"What!?" Richelieu barked angrily at her   
"I heard his song on the ocean, heard his sorrow and anger, poor child, not yet   
two decades old, lost his mother and Father, so alone, so filled with pain!, his   
curse upon us will exact it`self, you can be certain of that!" Milady sing   
songed with a sigh "Unless he is killed first of course"  
"Which would be rather difficult consider he is now in the hands of the   
Musketeers!" Richelieu snarled   
"Not for long" Milady said with a shrug of her pale shoulder "He`ll miss the   
ocean depths, wish to cry out his grief, and sing out his lament over the waves,   
he will not remain with them for very long, all you`ll need do is wait"  
"Wait for what?, what are the chances we can capture him again?" Richelieu   
demanded, "No if his curse upon us can only be averted by his death then you,   
Milady will find and kill him, maybe even finish off the Captain of the   
Musketeers while your at it", with that Richelieu stormed out of the cabin   
leaving Milady examining her long nails as she plotted.

D`Artagnan remained with the Musketeers for three days, as Athos ordered the   
ships into port, he did`nt remain entirely by choice, Aramis refused to let him   
leave until he was certain the wounds were healing well.

Once in port in St Louis, Athos went ashore to see Treville, while the crew took   
shore leave to restock supplies and went to the Bonacieux bar, run by a Human   
Jacques Bonacieux and his Siren wife Constance, who`s tail was a pretty rose and   
lilac shade, with a fin of coral pink that blended well with her red hair.

The bar was situated on a wooden peir, accessable by both water and land, making   
it popular with both human and mere people alike, a shallow pool with steps cut   
into the water where the mere people could sit and drink and eat, with a wooden   
floor above where the regular bar sat.

Aramis took d`Artagnan into the bar with him, Porthos swimming with them, being   
pulled along more than swimming since no human could ever keep up with mere   
beings in the water,   
"Never been here before?" Aramis asked  
"No" d`Artagnan replied "Papa prefered to keep away from humans, preffered the   
oceans"  
"Don`t we all!" came an amused voice from Constance who sat on the top step tail   
dangling in the water   
"Aramis, Porthos, long time no see"  
"Pleasure Madame" Porthos greeted panting a little and happily getting out of   
the water in exhaustion!   
"What can I get you?" Constance asked   
"Three large rums and keep them coming" Aramis replied with a broad smile "This   
is d`Artagnan, and he`s been through one hell of an ordeal" 

Athos bowed as he entered the court of Treville, rising only when bidden by the   
former pirate who sat upon a throne of gilded wood complete with a carven wooden   
skull above his head   
"Captain Athos" Treville greeted bidding him to rise "What brings you back to   
these fair shores?"  
"Ill news I`m afraid My Lord" Athos replied "Tis about the Captain and crew of   
the Red Guard", Treville grit his teeth grinding them together in annoyance,   
Richelieu was an old enemy of his and he would be more than happy to see the   
other Captain swing for a crime!  
"What has he done?" Treville asked   
"Murdered a Selkie, and wounded his Son, whom he was planning to skin" Athos   
replied struggling to keep his face stoic, his stomach lurched at the thought of   
the young Selkie being butchered, he had not spent more than two days with them,   
yet Athos had found himself drawn to the young boy, as allured to him as he had   
been to Anne, and yet it was not the same as Anne, for d`Artagnan had used no   
song or charm, and did not remind him of her, they could not be more opposite if   
they tried!, all they had in common was black hair and race, in all other ways   
they were different,  
"Do you have proof of this?, will the Selkie boy testify?" Treville asked eager   
to see Richelieu pay for this crime  
"I don`t know, he has been eager to leave us, go back to the oceans, and he has   
placed a curse upon those who wronged him" Athos said recalling the bone   
chilling and neck hair lifting whistle and song that the boy had spun, placing   
his curse upon the Red Guard   
"Well in that case they will soon face their comuppence without my intervention"   
Treville said, Selkie curses were not to be taken lightly,   
"True, but there is something else" Athos said with a frown, for some reason   
still disturbed by this information d`Artagnan had imparted "Richelieu has a   
Selkie working for him"  
"What?" Treville looked torn between horror and amazement at this  
"D`Artagnan said thats how they capture the mere people for........., well, they   
use her to lure the Selkies and Sirens, then capture them and........."  
"I get the picture" Treville said with a grimance of disgust then scowled   
remembering something he`d heard in passing "The Selkie would know about the   
curse your boy placed on them, she`d hear it"  
"I thought that was a myth" Athos shrugged   
"Maybe, but, they say the only way to break a Selkie curse is to kill the   
Selkie".

Athos would never be able to explain the reason for his near sprint to the   
Bonacieux bar, where Aramis was lounging between Porthos legs having his   
shoulders rubbed, while trailing his long fingers up and down the large mans   
muscular thighs   
"Captain?" Constance greeted from her perch on a bar stool her tail wrapped in   
seaweed to stay moist while she was out of the water   
"Wheres d`Artagnan?" he asked panting slightly, running a hand through his hair   
"He left" Aramis replied "Wanted to go and mourn, I`d get ready for some rain   
tonight, it always rains when a Selkie crys a lament for the dead",  
"Damn it" Athos muttered   
"Whats wrong?" Porthos asked "You look like you`ve seen a ghost!"  
"Treville said that Selkies can hear the curses of others, and the only way such   
a curse can be broken is by the death of the Selkie who placed the curse" Athos   
said looking to Aramis and then Constance for confirmations, however both   
exchanged uncertain glances   
"Selkies are mysterious even to Sirens, we`re not certain whats myth and whats   
truth" Aramis replied "But I can go and look for him if you want?", Athos bit   
his bottom lip looking out to the ocean, d`Atagnan could be miles away by now,   
would want privacy, likly Aramis would not be able to find him no matter what,   
"No, it`s proberly just a myth" he said at length, and walked up to the bar   
feeling oddly reluctant to sit down and start drinking, instead he tapped his   
fingers on the wooden counter looking out across the sea feeling his stomach   
churning in rythem to the waves.

For some reason d`Artagnan was reluctant to leave St Louis, and found himself   
remaining close to the cost line, not going as far out into the ocean as he   
would normally have done.  
While he could`nt figure out why, he just did`nt feel like leaving the cost, a   
strange feeling for a Selkie who was breed to the ocean depths, not the shores   
and shallow waters.

However he let himself sink down onto the sand, deeper than any human could   
every have gone, laying down flat on the sand, gazing up at the sea above him,   
the constant motion of the waves over head, and with a single sigh allowed his   
tears to fall, with that he let out a low mournful moan, the kind one would hear   
a wolf give when a member of a pack has fallen.  
d`Artagnan lay on the ocean floor crying out his grief, and singing a lament   
into the ocean, one that any and all mere beings would have heard, picking it up   
on the currents, many adding their own voices to the song and sending back   
sympathy and condolence to d`Artagnan as he grieved for his Father.

In the Bonacieux bar Aramis and Constance who were floating in the shallow   
waters picked up on the lament, and added their voices to the song, three other   
mere beings in the bar also joining in, making the waters about the coast ripple   
and swell as if in tune with their voices.

Over head the sky darkened and rain clouds swept in, the heavons opening in a   
steady down pour, as the sky wept for the lost child of the sea.

Further out to sea, Milady swam under the Red Guard, her long black hair   
swirling about her like a cloak, her tail lashing in the water, a smirk   
spreading over her lips as he picked up on the song, on the Selkie who was   
singing it, unlike the others she did not add her voice to the lament, instead   
she drew a blade blade made from coral with a handle of pearls and admired the   
deadly tool in the oceans light   
"You`ll the one sung about soon little boy" she whispered darkly "You and my   
disgusting husband".

On the ship above Richelieu scowled at the sky as the rain pelted down, the rain   
of a greiving Selkie.  
He had always disliked Mere beings, finding them inferior to humans and there   
for only worthy as being slaves or products for sail, and to some, food, while   
he had never indugled in the practice of feasting on Siren or Selkie flesh, he   
could think of many who did and paid handsomely for the delicacy.

Greed was not his only goal, though it was a large one.  
The reason he was killing Selkie and Sirens, and selling them to the highest   
bidder, was not just for profit, no, it was so he would amass enough fortune, to   
enable him to buy mercenary pirates and land soldiers to challenge Treville, and   
claim St Louis for himself, once the Captain was dead he would have himself   
proclaimed pirate king, and ule St Louis, would no longer have to dwell on a   
stinking ship with rif raf under his feet, nore would he need that slimy sea   
devil Milady, he had garenteed her life of course, but would be glad to see the   
back of her once he was established as King, and once her guard was down in the   
future, who was to say that an ill placed harpoon might not lead to an end of   
this garentee?.

Athos walked on the deck of the Musketeers, uncaring for the rain that soaked   
his person, caing only for the Selkie who was sobbing and causing the weather,   
the poor boy who had nearly joined his Father in a grusome death.  
Would he now be in danger because of the curse he had placed on those who had   
tried to kill him?, and what about this Milady?, a Selkie turning her back on   
her own people?, not unheard of but rare, and what was Richelieu getting out of   
this?, Athos suspected there was a much larger scheme at hand, something was   
being planed something Richelieu was working for, what that was however Athos   
could not begin to imagine, only know for a fact that it could not possibly be   
anything good.

Athos gave the crew another day of shore leave before returning to the open sea,   
as they left the harbor, Aramis swam at the head of the ship, showing off as he   
rolled and flipped in the water, then submerged himself enjoying the freedom of   
the ocean, but keeping close to the ship as he swam both under and before it,   
even once daring to pop up along the port side where Athos was standing, or   
rather leaning, looking moodily into the ocean, and sprayed the Captain with sea   
water right in the face! before flipping over a disappearing back into the sea   
grinning at Athos angry curses!.

"I`ll sell that over grown guppy for sea food yet!" Athos groused as he wiped   
his face glaring at the pirates who struggled to keep from laughing at his   
expense,  
"Yer won`t and yer know it!" Porthos snorted slapping his shoulder "And Mis is   
just having fun"  
"Mis can go fuck himself!" Athos grunted it was too early for this crap, and he   
had`nt had enough rum to deal with it!  
"Hey Mis, best behave or the Captain`ll be making fisherman stew out of you!"   
Porthos yelled over the side of the ship  
"He`d have to catch me first!" Aramis laughed back laying on his back to float   
along side the ship, "Want to race to Azure rock?" he asked eyes shining as   
bright as his elegant tail did, Azure rock was a small rocky island often used   
by pirates as an emergency harbor in a storm, it was only twenty foot wide and   
twenty five foot above water level, but was studded with peacocks ore and agate   
making it shimmer blue earning it the name  
"Go on then" Porthos chuckled knowing Aramis would beat them anyway and they   
would find him lolling on the rocks crowing over his victory, but then a   
victorious Aramis lead to a very aroused Aramis and that Porthos always   
appreciated.

They dropped anker not far from Azure Rock, a storm was building, and Athos did   
not want to go any further into the ocean should the weather turn too choppy, as   
they ahd expected Aramis had been waiting for them, and once given leave by his   
captain, Porthos had jumped into the sea to join his lover the two of them   
disappearing round to the other side of the island to make love.

Bitterly Athos thought about the times he had made love to Anne in the sea,   
risking drowning as he had been held in her arms, his legs about her tail and   
cock inside her cool body, riding her as she rode the waves, their bodies moving   
with the rythem of the sea as no doubt Porthos and Aramis were doing right now,   
moodily Athos scowled at the darkening sky as the growing wind bringing a   
certain storm, at least the weather would match his current mood if nothing   
else.

Aramis clung to the rocks, spread face first over them as Porthos thrust into   
him from behind, the humans warm body and passion heating the Sirens cold skin   
and cool insides, a large dark hand closed about his creamy one, a powerful arm   
about his waist holding him close as they rocked back and forth, Aramis`s tail   
was vibrating with pleasure, his cries filling the air and sea, any Mere being   
near would hear them and know what was happening, likely be amused by their   
passion, Porthos mouth was on his cool throat, kissing and biting, marking him   
once again, he was spilling his seed into the sea as Porthos was coming close to   
his climax and panting with exertion, the dull rumble of thunder over head   
hardly registering for either of them as Porthos spilled inside his body   
trugging a second orgasem for the Siren who`s shrill cries echoed about the   
island  
"God I love you Aramis!" Porthos panted clinging to his back like a limpet "You   
know that don`t you?"  
"If I did`nt before I certainly do now mon amor" Aramis replied as his fin   
continued to tingle and flip in the water a flash of lightening startling them   
both "Come on, we should get back on board before the storm hits" Aramis said   
pushing off the rock "I won`t drown, but you might"  
"If I were die in your arms my sweet, then I`d die happy!" Porthos proclaimed   
but allowed Aramis to tug him back to the Musketeers none the less.

Deep within the sea Milady whistled and chanted and sang, her powerful   
triggering the storm above, making the oceans swell and the skies fill with   
thunder, and rain, tonight she would have her revenge on Athos once and for all,   
then she could concentrate on the little pest of a Selkie, and sit back to watch   
as Treville`s reign ended and Richelieu became king. 

 

The storm had more than increased in strength, the waves were now tossing the   
Musketeers back and forth in a violent motion that threatened to over turn the   
whole ship, the sky was black as obsidian, not a single star to be seen for the   
clouds, the only light coming from the lightening that shot across the heavons,   
followed by deafening roars of thunder.

The crew of the Musketeers, pulled down the sails, and tied themselves to the   
rigging to keep from getting swept over board by the waves that flung water   
across the ship, and the houling wind that tore into their ears and chilled them   
to the bone,  
"This is not natural!" Aramis shouted as he lay on the deck "This is a witches   
wind, a witches storm!"  
"Thats not much help to us now Aramis!" Porthos bellowed over the noise of the   
storm his face revealed for a moment by the flash of lightning "Hey you two!,   
get yours secured or you`ll be over board!" he shouted to a couple of pirates in   
the process of throwing their guts up! "Bloody wet behind the ears whelps!"  
"Hold on tight it`s going to get worse yet!" Aramis predicted looking to where   
Athos was standing grimly keeping hold of the wheel of the ship with his jaw   
set.

Beneath the wild swell of the storm and the churning of the sea, d`Artagnan   
swam, he knew like Aramis that this storm was not one of nature, but of a Witch,   
while normally he would have fled to the depths of the sea to wait out the   
storm, he found himself seeking the surface this night swimming up to see the   
Musketeers some two miles in the distance being swept back and forth by the   
violent and relentless storm, he did`nt know exactly what possessed him, but   
d`Artagnan found himself heading for the ship, drawn to the Musketeers crew for   
some inexplicable reason.

A huge wave sent Athos sliding across the deck along with several other crew   
man, their hands reach for ropes and tying to to grab onto something to stay on   
board, another wave had him slamming into the side of his ship the wind knocked   
out of him, but was able to hold onto the wood tightly as he felt his stomach   
rise and fall with the heaving of the waves, he braced himself for another flood   
of water to spray over him when he was suddenly seized from behind and pulled   
over board!.

Panic filled Athos mind as he landed in the water and was pulled down, down into   
the swirling depths, a black tail passed before his eyes, as did a familiar   
face, the face of someone he thought long dead, a horrid ear splitting whistle   
filled his ears and the sea seemed to be spinning!, sweeping him round and round   
in a maelstrom!, driving any air out of his lungs and sending him tumbling   
deeper and deeper in the cold dark depths  
"I told you i`d have my revenge!", Annes voice, Anne!, she was doing this!,   
Athos thought frantically, uselessly his arms and legs tried to swim but he   
could`nt break the current, his clothes weight him down, and his lungs ached in   
desperation for air, befor ehe could help himself his mouth opened and drew in   
water instead of breath.......,

Milady watched in satisfaction as Athos tossed and turned in the water, sinking   
away from her and his ship, above them, far away she could hear that idiot Siren   
pet of the First mate searching desperately, but he was too far away, would   
never find Athos in time, no one would, Milady allowed herself a single smile of   
smugness when she was suddenly struck from behind sending her spinning in the   
ocean, and knocking her concentration awry giving the maelstrom she had created   
a chance to calm a little,   
"You murderous bitch!" came a furrious voice and Milady saw the Selkie boy   
before her glaring, fists ready and tail lashing in anger   
"Child, you are far out of your depths" she said keeping her hands behind her   
back and searching for the blade she had concealed there, with a flick of her   
wrist she draw the blade and threw it, d`Artagnan evading but getting a cut on   
his side in the process, he darted past her and grabbed her wrist his tail   
wrapping about hers to prevent her swimming away, his other hand clamping about   
her throat   
"Kill me and that Captain will die too!" Milady croaked in a last ditch attempt   
to save herself, d`Artagnan paused, looking to see Athos spinning, sinking body   
in the calming wirlpool   
"No!", with a single cry d`Artagnan flung Milady away and dove to save Athos   
life if he could.

 

"I can`t find him!" Aramis screamed as he surfaced again, fighting the choppy   
waves and diving once more in search of Athos, the frantic crew unable to help,   
unable to leave the ship in the midst of the storm   
"Get the lights held over the sea, try and spot him!" Porthos bellowed eyes   
desperately searching out for a sign of his captain, and praying to anyone that   
would listen that he was not lost to them.

D`Artagnan grabbed hold of Athos about the waist, wasting to no time he kicked   
for the surface knowing the human needed to breath, within moments he had broken   
surface, right around the other side of the island, away from the ship, far   
further than the storm would have carried him, Milady having made sure that   
Aramis would not know where to look.  
Athos face was ghost white, and mouth blue, his eyes closed and body heavy with   
water in his lungs  
"No, no one else dies for her" d`Artagnan said propping the man on his lap and   
supporting him with his tail as he floated them on the water, pinching his nose   
he breathed into the mans mouth twice then began to compress his chest with his   
hands, and tap his back with his fins to re-start his heart and dislodge the   
water in his lungs  
"C`mon breath, stupid humans and their tender lungs!, breath damn you breath!"   
he growled as he repeated his actions, making the compressions harder each time   
until finally Athos spewed water from his lungs coughing and retching into the   
sea as he took shuddering breaths shaking all over and looked bewildered and   
disoriented   
"Thank Triton!" d`Artagnan whispered wrapping his arms about the mans waist as   
guiding him to the island to place him on the rocks to get his bearings,   
clinging onto them himself and noticing he was shaking just as much as the   
human.

"D`Artagnan?" Athos whispered after a beat, looking down at the selkie in the   
sea beside him as he lay prone on the flat rocks of the cove of the island   
"You`re alright now, your safe" d`Artagnan said patting his arm "But why would   
Milady want to kill you?"  
"Milady?" Athos replied frowning "Anne tried to kill me"  
"Anne?, who`s Anne?"   
"The Selkie who pulled me over board and tried to drown me! My wife!, she   
drowned my Brother murdered him, so I had her staked out on the beach and left   
her to die"  
"She......., she`s your wife!?" d`Artagnan whispered looking horrified "But   
she.....that was Milady, the Selkie who tricked my Father and me!", Athos looked   
sick to his stomach as he took in this information, that his wife now worked for   
Richelieu, had survivied and was murdering others  
"She called the storm, this was her revenge on you" d`Artagnan whispered "She   
nearly succeeded too"  
"You saved me" Athos said looking at the young Selkie "Why?", Selkies rarely   
bothered saving humans, rarely cared for them, why this one would bother was   
beyond Athos  
"I don`t know why" d`Artagnan admitted avoiding Athos gaze "I just.........the   
last few days I......I`ve felt like I could`nt leave here, leave the coast, I   
had to be here, be near you"  
"If you had`nt been I`d be dead now" Athos said reaching out with a shaking hand   
to push back wet black hair from d`Artagnan`s face "Are you alright?, did she   
hurt you?"  
"Just a scratch" d`Artagnan replied with a shrug "i`ll be fine"  
"Why don`t we let Aramis be the judge of that" Athos said "besides they must be   
going frantic looking for me"  
"Well you`re not strong enough to swim, so I`ll go and get help for you"   
d`Artagnan said pushing away from the rocks his hand lingering where it had been   
touching Athos skin "I`ll be right back", with a flip of his tail he was gone   
leaving Athos to ponder what had just happened, especialy the warmth he was   
feeling at the sight of the young Selkie again, that seemed to drive away all   
the pain of the return of his wife and his near death, the storm was calming,   
the sea settling once more, looking up at the sky Athos could see the stars   
starting to appear in the dark sky, he`d come close tonight to dying, dying at   
the hands of his evil wife, and been saved by the very Selkie whom he had saved   
days before, was it fate or something else that kept throwing them in each   
others paths?, were they destined to save each other?, or was it merely   
co-insidence that kept throwing them together?, Athos did`nt know, but he was   
keen now to find out.

 

Within fifteen minutes a life boat was rowed up along side the rocks and Athos   
was taken on board by a releaved Porthos, and two other Pirates, Aramis swimming   
back with d`Artagnan to collect the Captain, wrapping him in blankets and plying   
him with brandy as they rowed back to the ship, Porthos bellowing orders for a   
hot bath to be drawn for him, and more brandy to be taken to the Captains cabin,   
and a hot fire stocked in the hearth.

Leaving the humans to care for their own, Aramis stayed in the sea with   
d`Artagnan, letting the current float their bodies, only occaisionally swishing   
their tails to keep from being drawn to far from the ship.  
"You`re sure this Milady is also Athos dead wife?" Aramis asked  
"Athos said so" d`Artagnan replied "Apparently she survived his justice, someone   
must have found her before she died on the shore, and taken her back into the   
sea"  
"Richelieu I`ll bet" Aramis muttered "What is that bastard up to?"  
"More than just killing off our kin for profit thats for sure" d`Artagnan said   
"I heard some talk while I was netted on the deck, something about mercenaries,   
and a King"  
"A King?, Treville?" Aramis asked   
"No names, just a King, but I would guess that they are amassing wealth enough   
to buy an armada"  
"By Melusina! if that happens all our lives are in danger!" Aramis gasped his   
eyes widening and fear very evident in his eyes "Such men would happily   
slaughter every Mere they could find!, feast on our flesh!, sell our hides!,   
enslave the men and women they don`t kill!"  
"Who cares about Humans!" d`Artagnan said carelessly "It`s our own we need be   
concerned with not land dwellers!"  
"Spoken like a true Selkie" Aramis snorted "Some of us have attachments to those   
land dwellers you scorn so much"  
"More fool you then" d`Artagnan said with a casual shrug "Have you told him   
yet?"  
"Have I told who what?" Aramis snapped getting irritated by the Selkies scorn   
for human kind   
"Porthos, that your pregnant!".

Aramis gaped at d`Artagnan for a moment his mouth hanging open in shock at the   
Selkies words  
"how........., I only just started to suspect myself!"  
"It`s in your eyes, the change in your swim, the pitch of your song" d`Artagnan   
replied "Selkies can always tell when a Mere is with child"  
"I can`t be more than a month along, if that" Aramis said "Dear Melusina!, will   
this be a Mere or a Human?, or one of those half breeds that have scales on   
human legs!"  
"Which is perhaps why breeding with Humans is not such a good idea" d`Artagnan   
said with a shrug "You would`nt have such worries had you bonded with another   
Mere"  
"One can not choose where loves rivers lead!" Aramis snapped "When you are older   
perhaps you`ll understand that!"  
"Hope not" d`Artagnan replied with a smirk "If I ever developed feelings for a   
Human I`d toss myself up on a beach!, I would never give up the oceans for a   
human"  
"And yet you saved the life of one tonight" Aramis said getting a sharp look   
from the young Selkie "Have stuck to the coast line instead of swimming into the   
depths, makes me wonder why?"  
"Well not because I`m in love!" d`Artagnan was quick to fire back earning a   
smirk from Aramis who had heard such declarations from Meres before when they   
did not wish to believe they were falling for a human   
"I want revenge on Milady and the Red Guards" D`Artagnan growled "As for Athos?,   
He saved my life, now I have returned the favour, whatever debt was between us   
is now paid in full, and I can leave this shallow bay and seek my vengence",   
with that d`Artagnan kicked his tail and plunged under the water leaving Aramis   
laughing in his wake, more sure now than ever that d`Artagnan was in love with   
Athos, and it would not be long before they saw him again, but now he had other   
things to think about, and needed to tell Porthos of the young he now carried   
within his body.


	3. Chapter 3

Aramis enlisted the help of a couple of deck hands to take him to Porthos cabin   
and place him in the pool, the first mate joining him soon there after  
"Athos alright?"  
"Half drunk on brandy, he`ll be fine!" Porthos chuckled stripping off his   
clothes to join his mate "The Selkie?"  
"Capricious, volatile, and in extreme denial" Aramis replied with a soft laugh   
his fin flicking as Porthos wrapped his strong arms about him and began to kiss   
his throat "Denial about what?"  
"That he`s in love with Athos"  
"Athos!!!!"  
"They are fated mates" Aramis said to an incredulas Porthos "It`s clear,   
d`Artagnan could`nt leave the area where Athos is, and Athos running to find   
him, fearing for his safety, it`s obvious they are meant to be"  
"Another Selkie" Porthos muttered shaking his head "You know his wife cursed him   
years ago?"   
"She did?"   
"That if he ever fell in love again, then his lover would die"  
"Damn" Aramis hissed knowing that the curse would come to pass unless Milady   
died before it had a chance to be enacted "Well, thats just another reason to   
kill the bitch then"  
"And there are so many" Porthos agreed his hands now starting to pet Aramis`s   
smooth scaled tail   
"Plus d`Artagnan heard that Richelieu may be hiring mercenaries, thats why he`s   
killing off Meres, to gain wealth by selling our flesh"  
"Bastard" Porthos cursed, his grip tightening on Aramis "I`ll see every on of   
that crew strung up before they get to lay a finger on you!, I`ll gut the   
bastard myself!, I`ll give Rochfort shallow cuts and toss him into Shark bay   
bound and gagged!"   
"I know!" Aramis said a warm smile spreading over his lips as he leaned his head   
on Porthos shoulder deciding to take the chance "Porthos?"  
"Hm?"  
"Have you ever thought about children?......".

Milady scowled as she was taken up on deck by the Red Guards crew, Rochfort   
smirking at her obnoxiously as he took her into his arms to carry her to her   
cabin "Failed did we?" he asked   
"A minor set back, nothing more" she replied coldly wondering if Richelieu would   
mind if she drowned this half blind oaf!  
"I wonder what the Captain will say to this Set back of yours"  
"About the same as he did to your loosing that Selkie a few days past!" Milady   
spat glaring at him "Now if you do not wish to loose that remaining eye, then I   
suggest you stay silent, or you`ll swiftly find yourself blind and swimming with   
manta ray!"

Athos sat in his cabin nursing a brandy, wrapped in blankets, his skin warm from   
the bath, his chest hurt where d`Artagnan had revived him, and his heart was   
sore with the past pain of Milady, the loss of his brother, wondering what was   
coming next, he also found himself thinking off a long green tail with split   
fins, d`Artagnan, he truely had a beautiful tail, every shade of green, emerald,   
grass, lime, moss, seaweed, jade, turquoise, and teal, he could spend hours   
mapping the shimmering scales, tracing the fine black marks with his tongue!,   
d`Artagnan was so different to Milady, wilder, younger, freer, could he be the   
one that Milady had cursed him to loose if he loved again?, Athos shuddered at   
the thought clenching his jaw in a resolve to drive the Selkie from his mind,   
lest d`Artagnan fall victim to that witches spell.

The roar of delight that Porthos gave echoed about the whole ship!, apparently   
having babies was one thing he had always wanted to do, be they children or   
Merlings, to celebrate he insited on cracking open several casks of Brandy while   
loudly toasting Aramis and his future offspring.

Athos, while still chilled from his drowning, sour and bitter with all that was   
happening, could not keep from joining the celebrations, he was genuinely happy   
for his friend and first mate, wishing he and Aramis a long and happy life   
together, with this being the first of many Merlings.

"So d`you think it`ll be a boy or a girl?" one of the ship mates asked as he   
drank deep from his mug "Will it be human or Siren?"  
"Don`t know, and thats the answer to all the questions" Porthos replied "We`ll   
just have to wait and see"  
"Hm, I can see you flailing in the water after the little gold fish!" Athos   
commented "If it`s anything like Aramis, God help you my friend!"  
"I thought near death experiances were supposed to make a person sweet natured!"   
Porthos chuckled giving the Captain a balled first punch to the shoulder   
"Where d`you hear that crap!?" Athos grunted draining his cup "Congratulations,   
both of you"  
"What d`you think about the name Atlanta for a girl?" Aramis said drawing   
Porthos attention back to him "Or Oceanna?"   
"I prefer Atlanta" Porthos said "What about a boy though?"  
"I have an Aunt called Pearl!" came a suggestion   
"Coral?" another voice suggested   
"We`ve picked Atlanta for a girl, we need a boys name" Porthos declared rolling   
his eyes at the men   
"Delphi maybe?" Aramis offered "Xanthe?, Merrin?"   
"Delphi is nice, we can call him Del for short" Porthos mused.

Athos let the chatter go on about him as he walked across the deck resting his   
elbows upon the sides of the ship looking out across the ocean, thinking of the   
babies he`d hoped to have with Anne, what would they have called them?, would   
they be picking Mere names as Aramis and Porthos were? or would they have chosen   
human names?, now he would never know, he`d never get the chance to have a son   
or daughter, he`d always secretly held a desire for a daughter, a little merling   
girl, with a pretty sparkling tail, an impish nature, and a hypnotic beauty  
"Just another hope she ruined for me" Athos muttered to himself looking down   
into the rippling waves wondering where in the vast expanse his ex wife now was,   
and where d`Artagnan was aswell.

D`Artagnan was in fact on the trail of the Red Guard, detirmind to get   
information on what was happening, and perhaps be able to prove to himself and   
Aramis, Triton damn him!, that he was not!!!!, not in love with Athos!.  
Which was exactly why he could`nt get the thought of the man from his head,   
could`nt stop thinking about him, about that kissable scar on his top lip!, his   
firm jaw line, intense grey/blue eyes........."I`m so totaly screwed!"   
d`Artagnan moaned slapping his own face "Why me?, why a Human for Melusina`s   
sake!, and why that Human!?", while he knew it was just his imagination,   
d`Artagnan could be certain that the ocean was laughing at him!.

 

Rochfort stood at the prow of the ship, glaring out across the ocean, his   
argument with Milady, Richelieus foul mood, dealing with the Musketeers, all   
leaving him irritable and sour.  
He was drinking rum from a hip flask, not paying attention to anything, as he   
watched the waves, however something caught his eye, making him lean down   
towards the water seeing something moving down there, a scowl on his scarred   
face he leaned in closer just as a tanned arm came out of the water and grabbed   
him pulling him over board!.

"Miss me?" d`Artagnan hissed into Rochfort`s ear as he speed through the water,   
braking surface every few minutes to give his prisoner the chance to breath, he   
had no intention of killing Rochfort, well, not just yet anyway.

It was just after dawn when Athos was summond from his cabin by a grinning   
Porthos "You`ve got to come and see this!" he said pulling a half asleep and   
half dressed Athos along onto the deck, where d`Artagnan lay, a soaked,   
exhausted and freezing cold Rochfort at his side glaring with his only eye at   
everyone   
"Look what the cat fish dragged in!" Porthos chuckled   
"Well well, Rochfort" Athos said smirking at the man "Looks like we can get some   
answers at last"  
"I won`t tell you a thing!" Rochfort snarled spitting at Athos bear feet and   
receiving a back hand from d`Artagnan "I can still drown you" he snarled at the   
man "Play nice or you won`t be living out the next few hours"  
"You don`t scare me eel!" Rochfort spat "Kill me!, go ahead you little whelp, I   
do not fear creatures like you!"  
"How about creatures like me?" Porthos growled picking him up by his soaking wet   
collar "I think he needs some encouragment to start talking!" he declared to the   
crew "Who wants to start!?", under other circumstances Athos would have minded   
that his crew was so keen to torture someone, but considering it was Rochfort   
they were going to rip into pieces, he could`nt care less!.

Instead he tugged on his night shirt very aware of his bare legs and feet which   
d`Artagnan seemed to be staring at!, and knelt down beside the selkie "How did   
you...."  
"Same way Milady got you" d`Artagnan replied pointedly ignoring the smirk he was   
getting from Aramis "I pulled him off the ship and dragged him here"  
"That was very risky, they could have caught you" Athos said admiring the sight   
of d`Artagnan`t tail in the sunlight   
"I can take care of myself" d`Artagnan said with a shrug giving Porthos a grin   
as he broke Rochfort left arm! "D`you have somewhere I can go to stay wet?" he   
asked Athos "I want to see the end of this"  
"Of course" Athos said, and in a single fluid motion he had swept d`Artagnan up   
into his arms and was calling for one of the sailors to fill his bath tub with   
sea water,  
"Don`t do anything I would`nt!" Aramis called after the pair   
"That leave us with many options!" Athos called back to the grinned pregnant   
siren

 

Try as he might d`Artagnan could`nt keep from watching as Athos washed himself,   
those long muscled limbs, the hair curling on his chest and across his   
shoulders.....  
"I`m fucked!" d`Artagnan moaned to himself quietly   
"What?" Athos asked turning around, his naked chest giving d`Artagnan even more   
to admire!  
"Nothing" the Selkie murmered blushing a little, making Athos painfully aware of   
how very young the boy was, young and vulnerable,  
"I`m sorry for everything you`ve been through" Athos said resting a hand over   
d`Artagnan`s trying not to stare at the black patten on his skin, and the   
shimmer of his green tail   
"I`ll be alright" d`Artagnan insisted enjoying the warmth of the humans skin on   
his own cool flesh   
"You`re very strong for one so young" Athos commented, reaching froward and   
pushing a lock of hair out of his face, his fingers trailing over his skin,   
leaving an electric trail making d`Artagnan shiver with excitment, Athos eyes   
locked with the Selkies dark brown orbs, their bodies moving in unison as they   
fell into a deep kiss.

D`Artagnan`s arms came round Athos neck his body arching up to press against the   
mans naked flesh enjoying the delicious heat, and the corse hair on his chest   
contrasting with the soft hair on his head, Athos hands were roaming all over   
him, caressing what seemed every inch of his cool damp skin, reaching under him   
to lift him up and pull him from the tub to roll on the floor, d`Artagnan on top   
of him, Athos legs wrapping about his tail all but holding him captive!, the   
strong muscular arms wrapped about his waist holding him tight as they kisses   
and writhed against each other d`Artagnan could feel his tail begining to   
vibrate with pleasure his body warming with passion, scales growing slick and   
heated, he could feel Athos demanding erection growing beneath him, already damp   
and ready.

Without speaking, d`Artagnan pulled back from Athos, lifting himself up,   
flipping his tail to the side and impaling himself on the mans cock giving a   
sharp cry at the brutal entry, silver/red blood beading as his virgin flesh tore   
and bled, biting his lip he looked down at Athos who was gazing at him with   
adoration, his hands gently holding his hips, thumbs caressing his scales,   
bracing his hands on Athos chest, d`Artagnan began to move, rocking himself back   
and forth, closing his eyes and moaning as he felt Athos meet his thrusts,   
hitting his prostrate with every strike filling his own cock, making him gasp   
and cry out, hardly noticing as Athos kissed his hand and stroked his tail   
bucking up into his body harder and faster, cool sweat coated d`Artagnan`s   
luminescent skin making him seem even more ethereal and enchanting as he made   
love with Athos, his cool body silk smooth and creating pure havoc in Athos   
heart and mind as he held the young Selkie, slowing his pace to drag out the   
building climax, wanting to make this last as long as he could, d`Artagnan   
almost crying with both pleasure and pain, his eyes and face wet, mouth open and   
panting, a silent scream left his mouth as he spilled between himself and Athos,   
a short moment later Athos filling his insides as his own climax came leaving   
the two gazing at each other in wordless bliss until their senses came back   
"Athos" d`Artagnan whispered hardly able to believe what had just happened  
"I love you" Athos breathed sitting up and kissing d`Artagnan`s forehead "I love   
you". 

 

He was swirling in a vast oblivion of colors that seemed to be in constant   
motion, a vast rainbow of golds, blues, greens, purples, oranges, reds, and   
silvers just swam all around his floating languid body, that just flowed with   
the motion of the liquid, a gentle steady swell that was guiding him, taking him   
down to a soft bed of white/gold sand, thick emerald green seaweed growing in   
thick bushes, waving and weaving back and forth like hair caught in a breeze.

He lay down in the green letting his body spread out on the sand, eyes closed   
and face serene as he allowed the ocean`s song to calm his mind, and let his   
body do it`s work, felt his muscles and tishues moving, expanding and opening,   
the mass sliding down on it`s short journey from his body, a melon sized   
translucent sphere leaving his body to be placed in the seaweed, the shell   
shimmering like a pearl, the merling within laying on his or her back, small   
tail of silver curled up towards a plump middle, tiny hands tucked safely under   
a rounded chin, dark curls decorating a small scalp.

He stroked the shell with gentle hands, wrapping it securely in the seaweed so   
it would safe and warm for the next three months until the birth.....

With a splash of water over the side of the shallow tub d`Artagnan shot awake   
gasping for breath, his heart pounding like a drum and hands shaking like he had   
become palsied,  
"What?, what is it?" Athos asked shaken awake by the sudden movement,   
"D`Artagnan?"  
"No, no I can`t be!" d`Artagnan whispered gripping the side of the tub shaking   
his head as if to disprove what he already knew to be true, unlike Sirens,   
Selkies knew of their pregnancies within hours of conception.....  
"Whats wrong?!" Athos asked placing a hand on one balck swirled shoulder making   
d`Artagnan flinch "Tell me whats going on?!", D`Artagnan turned to look at him   
his dark brown eyes filled with frightened tears "What is it?!" Athos asked   
reaching out to wipe away the tears that began to spill   
"I......I think.......I think I`m pregnant!!!!!".

 

Red Guard 

"Where is he?" Richelieu bellowed at Milady who ignored his pacing and anger as   
she combed through her hair with a shell decorated comb, three ropes of peals   
wrapped about her throat, and an expensive belt of gold and diamonds about her   
waist, "Where is Rochfort?!" Richelieu bellowed   
"Where d`you think he is?" Milady replied with a snort as she lifted a mother of   
pearl and silver mirror to admire her reflection, tracing the lines that were   
starting to appear at the corners of her eyes and mouth, she gave a slight start   
when Richelieu slapped the mirror from her hand and grabbed her by the shoulders   
shaking her roughly   
"I do not pay you a small fortune to have you laying about pampering yourself   
all day!" he snarled in her face "I pay you to get jobs done and obey my   
orders!, if you have any objects to that then I will happily find you a new   
position, being tossed in batter and thrown in boiling oil for the main course!"  
"I will always serve you!" Milady croaked shaking violently at Richelieus anger   
"Whatever you wish!"  
"Then find Rochfort!, do so by nightfall or I`ll see you served up on a   
platter!".

 

Rochfort was slumped in a pool of his own blood, both his arms broken, whip   
lashes covering his back, buttocks, thighs, and calves all the way to his heels,   
his face a swollen mass of purple and red, most of his teeth knocked out, his   
one eyes so swollen that it was impossible for him to see.

It had taken all day, but he had finally broken, begging for the pain to stop,   
ready to tell the Musketeers everything.  
"Go and fetch the Captain" Porthos ordered clapping his hands together with a   
broad grin   
"Finally broken him?" Aramis inquired his head popping up on the rungs of the   
ship that led down to the ocean he had been swimming in   
"Completely, is the baby moving yet?!!!"  
"Porthos!, it`ll be weeks before that happens!" Aramis laughed holding out a   
hand for Porthos to come and help him on board, he laughed as he was swept into   
a bridal hold and spun round with an over elaborate kiss   
"I just don`t want to miss out on anything with little Delphi or Atlanta"  
"And you won`t I promise" Aramis assured his enthuseastic lover "I assure you,   
everytime I start craving fish eggs, or kale, or sword fish you`ll be the first   
to know!, and you can rub my back and tail, and deal with my mood swings, and   
tell me that I`m not fat even when I`m the size of a hump back whale!"  
"You won`t be the size of a hump back whale!" Porthos laughed "A killer whale   
maybe but....." he broke off at the elbow in his ribs while Rochfort groaned   
wanting very much to be unconscious rather than be forced to hear the sickening   
sweet love going on right next to him!.

"I never knew Selkies knew these things so fast" Athos said to d`Artagnan as   
they lay back in the tub, Athos having managed to calm the panicing Selkie down,   
he had of course been shocked himself by the unexpected decloration, but he had   
known it was no joke or mistake by the way d`Atagnan had been so frightened,   
looking ready to fling himself onto the nearest shore!,  
"Within hours" d`Artagnan replied his voice still shaky, he was still shocked,   
and a little, or maybe a lote scared, but he did know that he wanted the   
Merling, he`d seen in his visionary dream, the sight of that tiny curled tail,   
those miniture little hands had completely filled his heart, made him fall in   
love with the little darling,  
"Don`t surpose you know if it`s a boy or a girl do you?" Athos asked   
"No, why?, got a preference?"  
"No, either would be fine" Athos replied with a dry chuckle as he kissed   
d`Artagnan`s head wondering how in the hell he`s suddenly gotten so lucky.

 

Athos would much rather have stayed in the tub with his new and newly pregnant   
lover, but Rochfort`s information was too important to miss, so with regret he   
and d`Artagnan rose from the tub, Athos dressed and they went up on deck.

Athos placed d`Artagnan down next to Aramis who gave them both a shit eating   
grin, walking away to speak to Rochfort,  
"So, what happened to the little Selkie who would rather stake himself on a   
beach than lay with a human?" Aramis asked his voice a teasing sing song  
"Oh, he found fate, and became pregnant!" D`Artagnan replied amused to watch   
Aramis spit out the mouthful of coco nut milk he`d just taken!   
"You.....your......Athos......Merling?" Aramis stammered  
"I think they`ll need to build a school on this ship!" d`Artagnan giggled   
"Especially since you`re having twins!"  
"WHAT!!!!!!!!!".

"He`s really pregnant already?!!!" Porthos asked eyes wide   
"He is" Athos said with a shrug trying a failing to hide the smugness on his   
face, the kind of look expectant Father get when they are told they`re partners   
are with child   
"You`ve got balls of solid gold!" Porthos laughed   
"Oh please, enough of this!, just throw me to the sharks already!" Rochfort   
begged   
"Don`t tempt us!" Porthos growled as he and Athos came over to him "Now talk   
fast and we might just deliver you to Treville, or you`ll be on a rock bleeding   
at shark dinner time!".

Rochfort glared as best he could, his face being so swollen and painfull,   
"Richelieu wants to Kingdom, will be buying mercenarys, there will be a meeting   
on the coast of black coral cove the day after tomorrow, he`ll be meeting with   
three pirate captains, and two land chieftans, handing over monies to buy them   
into his service"  
"A whole armada" Porthos whispered   
"When does he plan to make his move?" Athos asked   
"Once the mercenaries are bought he`ll make his move in....." Rochfort stopped   
talking, his eye bulging and mouth gaping like a fish out of water, the veins in   
his face and throat looking ready to burst as he struggled to drag air into his   
lungs  
"Rochfort?" Athos asked "Whats...." before he could finish the sentence his and   
Porthos faces were suddenly sprayed in blood as Rochforts throat was crushed!   
"What the fuck?" Porthos cried in revulsion,  
"Milady!" D`Artagnan shouted seeing the Witch herself clinging onto the rungs,   
in a second she had vanished, but with both Selkie and Siren hot on her tail   
"Aramis no!" Porthos bellowed running to the side of the ship "Aramis!"  
"D`Artagnan!" Athos shouted despite knowing it was futile   
"D`you think they`ll be alright?" Porthos asked looking worriedly at Athos   
"Against her?, I have no idea" Athos whispered clenching his teeth and hardening   
his expression "We need to Warn Treville, Make for St Louis Bay!, full ahead!"   
he shouted at the crew "And someone throw Rochfort in the sea for the sharks"  
"Aramis and D`Artagnan?"  
"Will know how to find us" Athos replied "Sirens and Selkies always know where   
their humans are", Porthos nodded still looking worried though, Athos took his   
arm squeezing it gently "I don`t want to leave them either, but we have no   
choice, Treville must be warned"  
"Aye, but I get first dibs on slicing up Richelieu!" Porthos grunted   
"Just save the last twist of the blade for me!" Athos snorted without mirth   
before raising his voice "C`mon you dogs!, get moving! we hav`nt got all day!". 

 

Aramis and D`Artagnan sped through the water, d`Artagnan moving slightly faster   
than the Siren, his split fin slicing the water and propelling him with great   
speed through the depths that were growing darker as the two Meres decended   
deeper in the ocean  
"She`s headed for the caverns!" d`Artagnan shouted back to Aramis, not waiting   
for an answer as he kicked his tail harder detirmind to reach the mere who`d   
murdered his Father  
"D`Artagnan wait!" Aramis shouted struggling now to keep up with the Selkie,   
also his stomach was churning and his head feeling heavy and dizzy, now really   
was not the time for an onset of gestational sickness!,   
"C`mon I can see her!" d`Artagnan yelled aiming his body straight down towards   
the caverns   
"Stop, it`s not safe there!" Aramis cried, "D`Artagnan!!!!", the Selkie gave no   
signs of heeding the warning, nore of slowing down, forcing Aramis to fight down   
his nausea and follow on while muttering about head strong Selkies, with no   
sense of self preservation!.

The Caverns were a long deep split in the ocean floor, where the crust of the   
earth had parted and left a twenty foot wide crater along the ocean floor, it`s   
full depths was beyond estimation, however it was not a safe area to be,   
tremours frequently racked the unstable ground, bringing down rocks and   
boulders, the tectonic plates shifting and grinding against each other, the   
space between the ocean floors shelves would abruptly narrow and widen with   
little warning, the constant quakes opening and closing passages and caves   
meaning anyone inside could be easily trapped without warning, the constant   
shift of the tectonic plates also left the sea unsteady and in constant termoil,   
wirl pools, sudden and unexpected current changes that would drag a mere   
violently off their course or suck them down to unbearable depths where the   
pressure was enough to crush them.

D`Artagnan knew the risks of the Cavern aswell as Aramis did, would never   
normally have ventured there, but his need to capture Milady, make her pay   
robbed him of his common sense, and he chased after her taking a chance on the   
unstable shelf as he swam on down going deeper and deeper, ignoring Aramis`s   
warnings, and continuing his chase, down past razor sharp rocks that looked like   
the teeth of a ravenous shark, past a cave with water so dark it looked black,   
promising a sinking depth inside, ignoring the increasing cold and strong   
current he could feel pulling on him as he fought to keep Milady in his sights,   
but the poor visibility in the cavern, and the speed with which she swam at had   
given her the chance to slip from his sight, leaving him uncertain which way to   
turn as he reached a cross road in the cavern the way ahead bearing a dark and   
cold looking cave, the left a narrow passages on through the rocks and the right   
a steep dive down into a deeper depths through a sharp hole in the rocks,  
"Which way?" he snapped to no one in particular  
"Back the way we came, and now!" Aramis said coming up behind him looking tired   
and sickly "We can`t swim around here, it`s not safe"  
"But she...."  
"Will hopefully get herself ripped apart in a wirlpool!" Aramis said looking   
around worriedly "We have to get out of here while we still can lad", d`Artagnan   
pursed his lips looking regretfully at the three options of passages, neither of   
them appealing, all promising greater danger than they already faced in this   
place   
"Damn her" he spat nodding his head "Lets go", however just as the two Meres   
were about the depart, Milady appeared out of the right passage in a sudden   
burst of water like that from a fountain!, the force of the wave sent both   
d`Artagnan and Aramis spinning through the water dazing and disorienting them.

Shaking his head Aramis found himself being pulled into the dark cave a powerful   
and hidden current having latched onto him and dragging him into the dark deadly   
depths, furriously kicking his tail to fight the current Aramis looked up to see   
d`Artagnan`s limp form being grabbed by Milady, the Selkie having been thrown   
against the wall of the cavern and rendered unconscious, blood flowing from a   
nasty looking gnash on his head   
"No!" Aramis shouted grabbing onto the side of the cave to stop his decent,   
Milady looking over her shoulder at him with a smirk on her face   
"I`d take you too, but you`re already lost I think" she said coldly "That   
current leads down to a wirl pool inside a chamber of razor sharp rocks that   
will slice you to peices!"  
"Bitch!" Aramis snarled   
"Oh don`t worry" Milady snorted "D`Artagnan will suffer too, he`ll be staked out   
on a beach before long!, think about that while you`re being sliced limb from   
limb", with that the evil Selkie kicked her tail and left Aramis fighting for   
his life. 

 

Dry, it was so dry it hurt to breath, hurt to think, his throat felt like he`d   
swallowed a sword fish!, his scales so dry they were sore and cracking.

Weakly d`Artagnan cracked open his eyes wincing at the pain and dryness of his   
cool selkie flesh, he tried to move but found himself immobile, his wrists bound   
as was his tail, to a long table upon a ship he immediately recognised as the   
Red Guard  
"Well, it`s awake then" came a sickening voice and Richelieu`s face came into   
view, had he been able d`Artagnan would have spat into his face, but he did not   
have enough moisture left in his body to do so   
"You have caused me a great deal of trouble whelp, too much trouble" Richelieu   
snarled "Capturing Rochfort, escaping my clutches, messing up my plans against   
Treville"  
"Oh it was my pleasure!" d`Artagnan drawled coughing raggedly, he estimated he`d   
been out of the water for about two hours, two or three more he`d be dead!,   
Richelieu gave a cold dry chuckle and ran his hand over d`Artagnan`s painful   
flesh making the Selkie whine and wince at the touch which felt like sandpaper   
over torn and burned skin   
"Rochfort was tortured brutaly before he spilled his guts I am told" Richelieu   
said "I would like to return the favour on you, have you cut up into peices and   
sold for meat!, but Milady has told me of a great bounty I could gain from   
keeping you alive", the hateful hand moved up to d`Artagnan`s flat belly making   
the Selkie writhe and squirm against the touch and curse at him   
"Oh yes, she has told me you carry a Merling, and in six months you`ll deliver   
an egg, do you know what Merling eggs sell for?, what people are willing to pay   
for them?, they are worth their weight in diamonds and pearls!, do you know what   
is done to the eggs?" Richelieu asked enjoying the discomfort of the Selkie   
"Sometimes they freeze them, making them form a beautiful translucent ornament!,   
the merling freezing inside before it`s born, captured in time forever!"  
D`Artagnan snarled and thumped his tail wincing for the pain it caused several   
scales cracking and bleeding   
"Some feast on the eggs!, they boil them!, devouring the flesh of the shell and   
the Merling within!, I`m told it tastes like cavier, fresh shrimp, and smoked   
salmon!, a rare delicasies that those who indulge will be willing to pay a   
fortune for!", d`Artagnan glowered at the Captain fear for his baby burning in   
his heart like a coal   
"You will be kept alive till you deliver the egg" Richelieu told him, "Kept in a   
shallow bowl like a gold fish!, with enough water to keep you alive, but weak   
and pliant, and then when you have pushed the egg from your body, you will cut   
up and sold for flesh along with your offspring, think about that!", giving him   
one last smirk Richelieu stepped back snapping his fingers at the Red Guards   
"Put him in the bowl, no more than three inches of water"  
"Yes Captain"  
"Feed him though, I want that offspring healthy, it`ll sell more that way"  
"Yes Captain"  
"Enjoy your stay with us d`Artagnan" Richelieu said to the Selkie as the pirates   
un bound and picked him up, in his weakend state he was unable to put up much of   
a fight "I may not be able to destroy Treville yet, but with the added wealth   
I`ll get from you I will do so eventually, and before then I will destroy the   
Musketeers", giving him one last smirk the man departed leaving d`Artagnan to be   
manhandeled into his aquarium, a glass bowl of six foot by six foot wide and   
four foot deep, with only three inches of water in the bottom for him to moisten   
himself on, a shallow, painful cage where he would rot for the next six months   
unless a miracle were to happen. 

 

Athos did not take The Musketeers all the way into port, instead he had her left   
in shallow waters, and went to shore with Porthos and three members of his crew   
in a small boat instead, leaping onto the harbour and running hell for leather   
to get to the palace Porthos on his heels, the two of them pushing past guards   
and servents to get to Treville who was at his leisure in the gardens,   
practising his shooting when the two pirates tore through the grounds!.

"Your Majesty!" Athos bellowed dropping to one knee, Porthos doing the same   
behind him   
"Captain, Porthos?" Treville said raising an eyebrow at the panting sweating men   
"Whats wrong?, has the Musketeer Sunk?, is their a hurricane coming!?"  
"Worse Majesty" Athos replied rising at Trevilles beckoning "The Captain of the   
Red Guard, Richelieu is planning war!, he is plotting against your Majesty!, the   
Selkies he has been killing!


	4. Chapter 4

Aramis could`nt hold on anymore, his hands were numb, his nails so torn and   
bloody they were shredded, a single tears flowed down his cheek to be washed   
away by the ocean as his hands gave out and his body was pulled backwards by the   
current dragging him deeper into the cave, however as he began his decent, the   
ground began to violently shake and convulse with a quake, the rocks slam back   
and forth, dislodging those already weakend and loose from previous tremors, all   
about Aramis the world seemed to tremble, the ocean itself pausing in it`s   
motion to bubble and shiver, rocks began to fall rapidly down in front, behind   
and to the side of Aramis turn the water into a maelstrom tossing the Siren back   
and forth until a boulder the size of a large ship came down behind him closing   
off the vortex that had been pulling him in, and with the force of it`s decent   
sent the Siren spinning out of the cave to tumble against the ledge of the   
oposite cliff face, safe from harm.

For the better part of half an hour Aramis merely lay on the rocks, his   
breathing heavy and body shaking all over with fatigue and elation at his   
survival, this elation bringing him enough adrenaline to move, intent on finding   
Porthos.  
Once bonded, a Siren and a Selkie would be drawn to their mates, would never   
need to search for them, they would know instinctively where they were and how   
to reach them, all they had to do was let the Ocean guide them as they swam,   
which Aramis did, kicking his tail with all speed to leave the Caverns and head   
for the surface to go to Porthos.

Richelieu`s decision to treat with Buckingham was not popular with his crew.  
They were in the fearful belief that the Captain and Admiral would merely kill   
them to claim the Selkie that Richelieu was to offer for trade, the Selkie that   
was looking sicker and weaker by the moment.  
"The Admiral will not like getting the Selkie for it to merely die on him"   
Jussac said looking at the weak sickly mere in the tank "He`ll want it healthy"  
"If he accepts at all" Cahussac muttered   
"Perhaps we should add more water to the tank" Jussac mused looking at the three   
inch puddle the Selkie resided in  
"The Captain said..."  
"The Captain is not seeing the creature dying before his eyes as we are!, if he   
wants the damn thing alive and well, then we need to make sure it is so!" Jussac   
snapped "Go and get water, fill the tank half way up, I will answer for it"  
"Yes sir", Cahussac left the first mate to go and get men to carry the water to   
the tank while Jussac looked on at d`Artagnan, drawn against his will to admire   
the beauty of the being, the shimmering green tail, jet black lines decorating   
his skin, even sickly he was beautiful, very beautiful   
"Do you charm me?" he asked speaking to d`Artagnan for the first time "Use   
your.....gifts to seduce me?", d`Artagnan did not even bother to look at him,   
merely looked on at the window his hands cupping his belly as his tail flicked   
back and forth listlessly in the water   
"That Captain of yours must be going mad searching for you" Jussac said quietly   
"I know if I had a babe on the way I`d be worried for the Mother", d`Artagnan   
finally turned and looked at him with half lidded eyes   
"You`re killing me" he whispered "I`ll die here, long before I deliver"  
"We`re getting you more water" Jussac said "We`ll fill...."  
"No, a Selkie can not live in captivity indefinatly, we belong to the ocean, we   
thrive on the freedom, a cage is a death sentence to us, as surely as a sword   
striking off a head", plaintivly he looked away looking back at the window a   
soft sigh escaping his lips as he closed his eyes his breathing becoming more   
unsteady and laboured.

Jussac swallowed hard trying to push down the guilt swirling in his belly and   
nodded to the pirates coming in with the water, watching as they tipped it into   
the tank, filling it half way submerging d`Artagnan in the liquid.  
The water was like ambrosia to d`Artagnan, his mouth opening to drink eagerly,   
his skin stinging and burning at the rush of the cool water, but promising to   
ease and recover if he lay still and let it be soothed, curling himself up into   
a fetal position he lay completely under the water eyes closed allowing himself   
to sleep and to recover while thinking of a plan of escape.

Porthos heart must have jumped seven times when the lad in the crows next   
spotted the Siren off the starboard bow swimming in their direction  
"d`Artagnan is not with him?" Athos called up to the young pirate   
"No C`pn, not tha` I can see", Athos nodded gritting his teeth with no small   
ammount of fear   
"I`m sure the lads fine" Porthos said forcing a smile onto his face as well as   
he could, when he was`nt certain at all.

Exhaustion was plain of Aramis`s face as he was pulled up onto the ship, Porthos   
exclaiming when he saw the damage to the Sirens hands, calling for cloths, food,   
and drink for Aramis while enveloping him in his arms   
"What happened to you?, where have you been?" he asked stroking Aramis face as   
the Siren trembled in his arms   
"Hell and back!" Aramis whispered tiredly "But thats not the worst of it, Athos,   
Milady took d`Artagnan"  
"What?", Athos voice was but a whisper but it may aswell have been a scream   
"We followed her in the Caverns, but she caught us off guard, knocked d`Artagnan   
out, I was caught in a vortex, been held there until a quake hit two hours ago   
and set me free" Aramis explained "She took d`Artagnan with her, he was still   
unconscious"  
"She`ll have taken him to Richelieu" Porthos said looking at Athos who looked to   
be going through a dozen emotions at once, his hands clenching and unclenching,   
eyes shining with tears as his jaw was set into a rigid line "They`ll kill him"   
he said emptily, his voice as brittle as sand paper   
"Athos...." Porthos began but was cut off   
"The curse" Athos said with a mirthless smile and unshed tears swirling in his   
eyes "She said if I were ever to love again I would loose that love, and she is   
making sure it will come true".

Porthos opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out, there was nothing he   
could say right now to make this any better, nore could Aramis who was already   
silently shedding tears against his chest   
"What do you want us to do?" Porthos asked, his voice horse with un spent   
emotion for his Captain, for d`Artagnan, for the unborn child that was no doubt   
lost too,  
"As Treville ordered" Athos said "We sail for The Red Guard, and burn her to the   
ocean floor, not a single crew man lives, and I`ll kill Milady myself", with   
that he turned on his heel leaving the deck to go into his Cabin,   
"You heard the Captain, get to it!" Porthos shouted holding Aramis a little   
tighter "At least we can avenge him" he muttered.

Inside his cabin Athos grabbed his Brandy pulling the cork with his teeth and   
taking a mouthfull as tears began to flow down his cheeks, like a baby with a   
bottle he gulped back the alcohol till it choked him, and he fell to his knees   
coughing and sobbing as visions of green scales swam before his eyes, dark brown   
eyes filled with life, smooth olive skin cool beneath his hands.  
With a clunk the brandy fell from his hand spilling onto the floor as he rolled   
onto his side sobbing brokenly for his lost love and baby.

 

Six weeks later

Athos moved about the ship like a ghost, his face was sullen and drawn, dark   
circles under his eyes, his cheeks looking hollowed and shadowed with both   
fatigue and grief.  
Nothing Porthos or Aramis could say would make any difference, Athos was slowly   
but surely self destructing.  
Over the past five years he had been clinging onto life by the skin of his   
teeth, now, with having been given the chance of a new love, of a family, only   
to have it snatched away by the very same Selkie who had destroyed his life five   
years earlier, Athos simply could not take anymore.  
Just looking at the man you could tell that he had given up on life, and while   
he was not reaching for the nearest blade to end it on purpose, he was also not   
trying to stay alive, was willing himself into darkness, between that and the   
fact he was drinking enough to sink a battle ship in a single sitting, it would   
not be long before he was granted his wish and was dead.

"There isn't any chance d`Artagnan could still be alive?" Porthos asked Aramis   
as they sat in their cabin, Aramis laying across Porthos, the mans hands about   
his rounded belly stroking the cool stretched skin where their merlings grew  
"After all this time?" Aramis asked back "Even if they didn't kill him out   
right, being captive this long will be enough to destroy him, Selkies can`t be   
captives, they simply perish if denighed their freedom"  
"Damn" Porthos cursed "I was hoping....."  
"I know" Aramis whispered looking up at Porthos with a sorrowful smile on his   
handsome face that was just a little bit rounder with the pregnancy, his whole   
body looking slightly softer and fuller, with a healthy glow that shone from him   
seeming to make him look all the more lovely and sensual, something he and   
Porthos were all to keenly aware would be like a knife to Athos heart, for what   
they had, and he had lost.

"Maybe we could call one of the Merlings d`Artagnan?" Aramis asked "I know we   
chose names, but...."  
"Yeah I like it" Porthos said "I just hope the poor lad didn't suffer...."

 

It had been six weeks since his capture, six long depressing weeks in which   
d`Artagnan`s health had deteriorated to the point he was looking like a corpse   
floating in the tank Richelieu kept him in.

Buckingham had not responded as Richelieu had hoped he would, in fact his   
response had been to send the messenger back to Richelieu in several pieces!   
telling the Captain that if he dared contact him again he would soon find   
himself swinging from a yard arm!.  
d`Artagnan had hoped, when the Captain had flown into a rage that he would   
simply be swiftly slain, since all his hopes for escape had been scuppered by   
Richelieu having a heavy lime stone cover laid over the top of the tank to   
prevent his trying to climb over the top with the extra water in there.

But instead the Captain had merely had him pulled from the water and lain on the   
deck for three long agonising hours, rubbing salt into his sore peeling and   
flaking scales and skin until it was red raw and throbbing with pain before   
having him thrown back in the tank.

Since then the Captain had taken to the high seas, Trevilles Navy having   
thwarted the pirates and land men at Black Coral Cove, and a price being on the   
rogue Pirates head, he had decided to lay low until such time as he could amass   
a fresh armada, and d`Artagnan`s flesh and egg would provide the wealth to do   
it.

Weight had fallen off the selkie, he felt too sick to eat more than a few scant   
mouthfuls of food, every bone and muscle in his body aching with the need to   
swim freely, his heart sore to the point of bleeding in desperate desire to get   
back in the ocean.  
He had cried, an ocean of tears he had wept, when his fight had died inside him,   
bringing heavy rain with his grief, but now that had passed, he no longer had   
the energy to cry or grieve, all that was keeping him alive was the merling   
growing in his belly.

With his body so greatly thinned his belly already looked rounded and swollen   
rising out below his too prominent ribs and above his jutting hip bones,   
Richelieu did not even bother to torment him anymore, had not had him suffer the   
agonies of dehydration on the deck for over a fortnight seeming to know that the   
greatest torture was to simply denigh him his freedom.

 

Athos was summoned loudly from his bed by the loud clanging of the emergency   
bell from the deck, making him stagger from his tangle of sheets and nearly   
break his neck tripping over a bottle on the floor stubbing his toes painfully   
and cursing as he threw a shirt over his head and hurried up onto the deck   
nearly colliding with Porthos along the way who had a beautifully fecund Aramis   
laying in his arms looking more sensuous and desirable by the day.

"What the holy hell is going on?" Porthos bellowed as they reached the deck,   
laying Aramis down in his raised tub with great care and linger over the last   
touch   
"Theres three ships coming this way?" one of the pirates yelled back "All   
bearing the badge of Buckingham!, one of them is his flag ship!"  
"Buckingham!" Athos whispered feeling a jolt of sickness swirl in his stomach   
and not from the rum he`d been downing all night   
"We can`t evade" Porthos said grabbing a periscope to look at the ships "He`s   
seen us, there making this way"  
"We don`t stand a hope in hell" Athos cursed spitting on the deck and running a   
hand through his hair "Though what he is going round here I don`t know"  
"Bit out of his territory" Porthos agreed his eyebrows knitting as he continued   
to watch through the periscope "He`s raised a flag of truce!, on the flag ship!,   
theres a flag of truce!, and it`s breaking formation with the other two!,   
they`ve stayed back while he heads this way!?", Porthos looked to Athos who   
shrugged having no idea what Buckingham was actually up to, but with being so   
out gunned they had little choice but to wait and see.

Several minutes later Buckinghams Flag Ship, The Duke was along side The   
Musketeer, Captain George Villiers Buckingham himself standing on deck dressed   
as ever in the most equisite finery money could buy, black leather breeches   
tucked into highly polished black leather boots with a solid gold buckle at the   
ankles.  
A maroon silk shirt with richly embroidered cuffs and collar, and a black velvet   
doublet with a high collar embroidered with gold thread, and a solid gold belt   
about his slender waist.

"Captain" he greeted Athos, a smirk on his handsome features "Well met"   
"Indeed" Athos replied very aware of his rumpled slept in breeches of moss green   
and two day old grey shirt that both looked and smelled terrible!   
"You are searching for Richelieu and the Red Guard I believe?" Buckingham asked   
"How can you know that?" Porthos demanded   
"I have my spies" Buckingham replied with a shrug "They tell me you have been   
charged by your King to see him dead and his ship destroyed?"  
"We have" Athos said   
"Good, I do hope you succeed" Buckingham said with a wolfish grin "He has   
offended me, and were I inclined to bother hunting him myself I would rip him   
apart for it!, however I have better things to occupie myself with, so I shall   
leave that duty to your good selves"  
"What did he do to you?" Athos inquired, knowing Buckinghams immense pride it   
could be anything!  
"Tried to sell me a pregnant selkie in return for the use of my fleet to attack   
your King, and get his own sniviling arse on the throne!" Buckingham spat "As if   
I`d waste resources on the likes of he!, and take a Selkie captive let alone   
kill his or her young!, I may be capable of many things, but that is not one of   
them!"  
"A pregnant Selkie?" Athos whispered his heart leaping  
"d`Artagnan!" Porthos breathed his eyes shining   
"When was this Sir?" Aramis asked laying in the arms of another pirate having   
demanded to be brought into the conversation   
"When did you receive this offer?"  
"Five weeks ago his envoy came to me, I sent him back piece by piece" Buckingham   
replied   
"He might yet be alive" Aramis said "If Richelieu wants to sell the egg he`ll   
keep him alive, be looking for another buyer"  
"Which gives us time to find and kill him first" Athos growled, his hang over   
and fatigue seeming to have been discarded as easily as a used tissue, "My   
Thanks for this information your Grace" he said bowing to Buckingham "I promise   
that in due course both Richelieu and The Red Guard will be at the bottom of the   
ocean"  
"I look forward to that day" Buckingham said with a nod of his head "Send word   
to me when it is done, and I shall send you casks of the finest Brandy money can   
buy"  
"We have a deal Your Grace" Athos said "Porthos!!"  
"Aye Captain?"  
"Set forth with all speed!, that Bastards head will be mine!".


	5. Chapter 5

The change in Athos was remarkable, in learning that d`Artagnan was likly still   
alive, as was the baby he carried, his desire to live had come back full force.  
For the first time in weeks he was clean, and his face shaved leaving only his   
moustache, and the neat trimmed beard on his chin and along his jaw line instead   
of the scruffy days old stubble he had been wearing until now.  
While his eyes were still shadowed with fatigue, lack of decent meals, and far   
to much rum, they were not dull and lifeless, instead they were burning with an   
intense fury.  
Smelling slightly of bath salts from bathing, and his hair damp from washing it,   
also an inch shorter from being trimmed, Athos stepped out on the deck, dressed   
in clean clothes, looking every inch the Captain of The Musketeer once more.

"We`ll, who`d have thought you`d scrub up so well!?" Aramis teased lounging on   
the deck, his tail in a seaweed wrap to keep it moist   
"Almost good looking!" he goaded getting a sour look from Athos in return that   
did become a slight smile, though it looked more like a sneer to be honest   
"I`ll remember all these sweet words you say to me, and the kindness you show   
me, when you`re the size of a battle ship and complaining of stretch marks!" he   
said wiggling his eyebrows in promise for future revenge   
"Now now, don`t you be upsetting the mother of my Merlings!" Porthos scolded   
slapping Athos shoulder a tad to hard since the small man wobbled at the force   
of it silently cursing Porthos lack of realization when it came to his own   
strength!   
"You know he`s the most beautiful being you`ve ever seen in your whole life!"   
Porthos said grinning at Aramis who vainly preened at the compliment getting a   
snort from Athos   
"He`s rather biased Port`" Aramis said "I think a certain little Selkie rather   
takes the place of the most beautiful in his eyes"  
"Hmm, not in mine" Porthos said lifting Aramis up, seaweed and all to noisly   
kiss him and pretended not to notice the way Aramis`s tail "Accidently" smacked   
Athos in the face!.

Despite the discomfort of being hit in the face with soggy seaweed, Athos   
could`nt help but smile at the return of the gentle teasing he got from Aramis   
and Porthos, something that he had missed over the past six weeks, when they and   
everyone had been treading egg shells about him, worried about upsetting him   
more than he was already upset.  
Walking up to the prow of the ship he braced his hands over the wooden railing,   
staring out into the expanse of ocean before him, eager now more than ever to   
find the Red Guard, to be reunighted with d`Artagnan and see both Richelieu and   
Milady pay for their crimes.

 

Red Guard

 

Milady admired the sparkle of the diamonds on her throat and wrists in the   
gilded mirror in her hand, into her hair she had woven a long chain of pearls   
and moonstones topping them off with a tiara of white gold and diamonds, she was   
in the process of placing obscenely large earings into her lobes when Richelieu   
came into the room scowling darkly   
"What now?" she asked without looking up at him "Surely not another crew member   
sent back in dismembered!?"  
"The boy is sick" Richelieu replied not bothering to rise to her words "He`s   
lain unmoving in the tank for two days, won`t take food, his eyes are glazed,   
and skin looks grey",  
Milady did not bother removing her eyes from the reflection of herself in the   
mirror, merely shrugging instead "He`s dying" she said with complete disinterest   
"You can not keep a Selkie in captivity indefinately, sooner or later their body   
gives out, he`s held on longer than I expected, however....." she broke off as   
the mirror was suddenly knocked from her grasp and Richelieu had her dragged   
from the pool by her tail his hands digging into the cool scales painfully and   
bending over the fins making her scream in pain  
"I need that boy and what he carrys alive!, my whole fortune now lies on what he   
carrys!, if he dies I loose everything!" Richelieu snarled   
"What am I supposed to do about that!?" Milady panted wincing at the pain in her   
tail which increased with each moment   
"I can not defy nature!" she groaned "I can`t force him to live!, a Selkie is   
not made for captivity, I warned you of that before you decided on this!"  
"There must be a way!" Richelieu growled "I have come so far!, sacrificed and   
risked so much!, I can not fail now!", with a snarl he thrust Milady`s tail down   
stepping away while she curled up on herself nursing the ache   
"There must be a way to make him well enough to survivie until he deilvers"   
Richelieu hissed turning to look at her "You must know of something"  
"I don`t......"  
"Then think of something!" he roared at her making her flinch back in fear "Or I   
swear to you, Milady!, I will have you laid out to my men for their uses and   
breed you for eggs!", with a last cold look at the frightend Selkie Richelieu   
turned on his heel and stormed out of the room leaving Milady shaking in the tub   
feeling more uncertain of her future than she had ever felt before.

He had fought as long as he could, trying to stay strong, trying to find even   
the smallest shreds of hope in his heart to hold on to, tried to fight his own   
nature to make himself stay alive, but after weeks on captivity, of sickness, of   
torment, he simply could not withstand anymore.  
When his eyes closed he knew it was for the last time, that he would not be   
opening them again, he had not been able to take a single mouthful of food in   
days, the water in the bowl was horridly warm and dirty, giving his scales no   
comfort.  
His body heavy with grief and despair sank to the bottom of the bowl as his mind   
slipped from his body drifting away into endless dreams as his soul prepared to   
return to oceans from whence it came.

Musketeer

It was just after dawn when the Red Guard was sighted, Athos being summoned   
immediately, the whole crew roused from their sleep and preparing every gun and   
cannon on the ship for battle, along with catapults containing dry wood and   
cloth they meant to light on fire and throw onto the Red Guard.  
"No one gets off that ship alive save for d`Artagnan" Athos said as they   
advanced on the Red Guard "Show no mercy, for they have shown none to others"  
"Kill the lot of `em an we`ll be buyin` the firs` rounds back at St Louis!"   
Porthos growled cracking his knuckles getting a breif chuckle from the men   
"For the King" Athos said   
"For the King!" the men roared.

 

Red Guard 

 

Milady let out a scream as she was suddenly thrown from her pool by the ship   
violently rocking to the side, but she did not have long to figure out what was   
going on, as explosions and more shuddering of the vessel followed, they were   
under heavy fire, having been caught off guard most likly.  
Fear struck her heart as she smelled smoke knowing that the ship was on fire   
alone with been bombared by cannon balls and pistol fire!, and in her cabin she   
was trapped unless a human came to carry her to the sea!  
"HELP ME!" she heard herself scream "Someone help me!".

On the decks above Richelieu cursed as he was sent sprawling across the deck,   
Jussac falling dead before him, his brains spraying over the wooden decking in a   
river of blood!, screams of horror and fear rang in the Captains ears, as cannon   
balls tore into the ship gauging out vast craters leaving the ship exposed to   
the merciless sea that swiftly swamped into the gaping wounds on the vessel,   
"FIRE!" a voice shouted from the Musketeer, Richelieu wisely stayed down as   
another volley of firewood came raining down upon the ship setting the sails   
ablaze!, catching the fishing nets and ignighting them, eating into the wood   
which was not soaked beyond burning, spreading along the decks in a fury even as   
the men tried to put out the flames with their feet, cloaks, and sea water, more   
often than not being taken down by a bullet or catching alight themselves!  
"Fools, bloody fools!" Richelieu snarled staying low on the wood of the deck and   
moving along on his belly meaning to get to a life boat and make an escape.

Once clear of the prow of the ship he risked rising to his feet, still keeping   
his back bent and head low as he shoved past pirates ignoring their screams for   
help and fighting against the violent rocking off the ship as she took on water   
"Captain, Captain help me!" a voice screamed from the crows nest!, the pirate up   
there trapped by the flames burning the sails and the wood his precarious nest   
was resting on   
"Jump you fool!, jump or you`ll burn!" Richelieu shouted back at him "Burn or   
drown!, your choice!", the lad gave a heart wrenching cry clinging to the side   
of the nest as it swayed dangerously the weakend wood cracking under the flames   
and bombardment of bullets, the wood splintering and snapping, until with an ear   
splitting crack the wood broke, the mast coming down to shatter over the   
starboard side of the ship crushing those beneath it, shattering the beams and   
rigging as it plunged into the ocean taking the pirate with it to his death.

Pushing himself away from the rails, Richelieu continued to run down to the bow   
of the ship where the life boats were kept.  
Going to the one at the furthest end of the ship out of sight of the Musketeer   
he hurried untied the ropes and pulled off the covers climbing into the ship,   
leaning over the side to begin the decent only to stop dead at the sight of five   
Musketeers in a life boat of their own waiting for anyone who tried this escape   
route, including Porthos, and Aramis swimming in the water below aiming guns at   
him   
"Goin` somewhere!!!?" Porthos asked with a grin his pistol aimed between   
Richelieu`s eyes "Get down from there Armand!, you`ve got an urrgent   
appointment, with a rope!".

Two cannon balls tore through the centre of the ship, snapping her in half! as   
if a mighty sword had suddenly thrust down from the heavons and cleved the ship   
in two!, `d`Artagnan`s fish tank was thrown from the shelf to shatter on the   
floor sending him rolling across the sinking deck as the ship began to sag under   
the weight of the water, in the cabins below Milady squirmed her way out of her   
cabin, the wood torn open by the ships damage, the sea deep enough for her to   
swim through, making her way through the floors as she sank deeper into the   
ocean, one last goal in her mind as made for the top deck where d`Artagnan`s lay   
in the sinking ship.

Musketeer

"Welcome on board Captain Richelieu!" Athos greeted with a sneer as Porthos and   
his men brought the man on board, tied up on both rope and chains "I would kill   
you myself, but I think it`ll be more of a pleasure to simply watch you hang!"   
"Fuck you Athos!" Richelieu snarled spitting into the mans face "I may have   
lost, but so have you!, that whelp of yours and the brat are dead!, you`ve lost   
far more than I ever have!"  
"Shut up!" Porthos growled punching the back of Richelieus head and sending him   
face first into the deck to bloody his nose and mouth, "Some one toss him in the   
brig!, feel free to give him a kicking along the way!"  
"Pleasure!" one of the Pirates said with a grin as Richelieu was lifted by his   
collar and dragged across the deck, his shins and ribs being kicked along the   
way  
"D`Artagnan`s gonna be fine" Porthos said firmly "Got Mis lookin` for him now",   
Athos nodded turning back to the sinking Red Guard biting his bottom lip as he   
made his way to the head of his ship only to feel like the floor had given out   
beneath his feet as he looked down into the debris strewn ocean below to see   
Milady with her arm about a limp d`Artagnan`s chest, and a pearl encrusted   
dagger at his throat digging into his horribly pale skin   
"I told you Athos" she snarled at him "I told you that if you loved again, you   
would loose them" 

 

"Anne, don`t" Athos whispered feeling all the blood rush away from his head,   
arms and torso to pool like lead in his feet. sickness swirling in his belly at   
the sight of his lover at his evil wifes mercy "Don`t do this"  
"Why?" Anne asked tauntingly "Dose it bother you Husband?, to see me with your   
whore?, to see me holding a blade to his neck?, how about if I held it to his   
belly?" she aimed the blade down in the water making Athos cry out and half   
lunge for them as red floated to the surface, Annes laughter like nails on a   
chalk board as she pulled the knife back from the water and replaced it at   
d`Artagnan`s throat "A flesh wound only, but will the next one be?"  
"Let him go you bitch!" Porthos snarled at her "Let him go and we`ll let you   
go!"  
"Like I need your help in making an escape?" Anne asked sneering at Porthos   
before turning back to Athos "See you in hell" she spat tensing her arm to pull   
the blade across d`Artagnan`s throat only to give a strangled cry of her own,   
followed by a chocking retch blood spraying from her lips and her hands slipping   
from about d`Artagnan to slipped from her grasp to lay limp in the blood stained   
water as Aramis appeared from behind Anne, a harpoon in his hands that he had   
run her through with "Damn you to the darkest depths harpy!" he snarled the   
dying Selkie, taking d`Artagnan in his arms and discarding the harpoon, the   
dying selkie gazed with shocked eyes at Aramis looking back up at Athos, her   
mouth opening with more blood flowing from her mouth a silent chocked scream   
dying in her blood filled throat as she fell backwards in the ocean, her life   
pouring out of her, d`Artagnan`s curse forfilled, and hers broken.

Athos watched his dead wife sink beneath the waves for a long moment, seeing her   
blood swirling in the depths and feeling the weight of her curse lifting from   
his shoulders while anxity for d`Artagnan flowed through him sending him running   
to the side of the ship,  
"Is he alive, is he alright?" Athos asked as Aramis and d`Artagnan were brought   
on board  
"Barely" Aramis replied stroking the sickly Selkies grey cheek "The   
captivity.......he`s........I don`t know" he shook his head biting his lip as he   
kept hold of the selkie his hand resting over the shallow cut on d`Artagnan`s   
belly that bled sluggishly   
"We`ll take him to our cabin" Porthos said "You can treat him..."  
"No" Aramis said shaking his head "That won`t work, being inside a structure   
will finish whats started, he needs to ocean, the freedom", he looked up at   
Athos with a tragic expression on his face "I`m sorry Athos, but if he and the   
baby are to live....."  
"Take him" Athos whispered his voice tight and strained, his hands shaking as   
they traced the cool flesh of his lover "Take him and make him well"  
"I promise to protect him and the baby with my life" Aramis swore stroking   
d`Artagnan`s cheek "I`ll send word to Constance"  
"Where will you go?" Porthos asked feeling the wrench himself at the fact he   
would be seperated from his lover and unborn babies for who knew how long?  
"The pearl flats" Aramis replied "They`re not far from here, and deep enough for   
a Selkie to feel at home"  
Athos looked down at d`Artagnan, wanting to say so much, needing to say so much   
but being unable to utter a word, instead he brought one limp hand to his lips   
and kissed it his eyes closing and tears running down his cheeks, "Go" he said   
releasing the hand and sinking back on the deck clasping a hand over his mouth   
to stiffle the scream building his chest, giving Porthos one last long kiss,   
Aramis plunged back over the side of the ship, d`Artagnan in his arms, speeding   
through the sea and leaving the humans to comfort each other and wait for news   
to come to them. 

 

The Pearl flats were an under water cove littered with Oysters and clams,   
earning it the name for the mass of pearls that formed there.  
Not too far from St Louis, Aramis felt it the best place for d`Artagnan to be   
for now, hoping that now he was back in the ocean, and free from Milady and   
Richelieu he would heal.

He found a young Siren lad searching amongst the oysters, clearly courting and   
looking for a gift for his lover, the boy only a few years younger than   
d`Artagnan, with a bold purple tail, who was happy to carry a message to   
Constance for Aramis, especially after seeing the state d`Artagnan was in.

Aramis gently laid d`Artagnan down onto the soft sand, stroking back his hair   
from his face and laying the selkies hands over his middle   
"This is why you have to live little one" he said to d`Artagnan "You can not   
give up now, you`ve fought this long, keep fighting, you`re alive, and you`re   
free, don`t let all this be in vain", swallowing past a thick lump in his throat   
Aramis forced away tears as he continued to speak to the unresponsive Selkie,   
"Athos loves you, when he thought you were dead he fell apart, it was like all   
the purpose in his life had just been swept away and his heart not just broken   
but shattered into a thousand pieces!, he would`nt have lasted long had it not   
been for Buckingham, he told us you were still alive, and the change in Athos   
was amazing!, he went from drunken despair to determind and hopeful in a   
moment!, desperate to get back to you, to save you and the baby", Aramis paused   
again breathing in a shuddering breath and laying his hand over d`Artagnan`s   
"You can`t leave him now d`Artagnan, you can`t go, it`ll destroy him completely,   
he needs you as much as he need air to breath!, his will to live his bound with   
you, in his love for you!.  
In all the years I`ve known him, I have never seen Athos give his heart to much   
as he has to you, you have brought him back to life, given him hope, love, and   
happiness again, you made him want to live and love, something no one else had   
been able to do.  
So don`t, I beg you, don`t leave him, don`t leave us!, Porthos and I need you   
too!, we were as heart broken and wretched as Athos when you were gone, and I   
know I can`t face getting you back just to loose you again, so please, live for   
all of us, and your baby".

The Musketeer

 

It was with Mixed emotions that Porthos and Athos left the debris of the Red   
Guard.  
They gave permission for the crew to celebrate of course, it was only fair that   
the men should celebrate their victory over Richelieu, and they had been a fine   
crew, one any captain would be proud of on this day.  
However instead of joining in the merry making, Porthos and Athos sat nursing a   
keg of rum between them slowly emptying the contense as the crew sang, played   
instruments, even a couple kicking off their boots to dance about them.

"Lad`ll be alright" Porthos said for proberly the hundreth time and for the   
hundreth time Athos nodded   
"He`s strong, he`s lasted this long, he`ll not give in now" Porthos said   
draining his cup with a wince as it burned his throat on the way down  
"He was terrified" Athos mumbled his voice hardly above a whisper   
"What?" Porthos asked  
"When he first realised he`d conceived" Athos said glancing up at Porthos, he   
was terrified, bolted awake shaking all over, pale as a sheet with fright",   
Athos`s lips curved into a bitter smile "I believed him at once, you only had to   
see the look on his face to know he was telling the truth"  
Porthos remained silent letting Athos speak, thinking it best the older man got   
this out of his system   
"I was over joyed at the news" Athos said "A baby, a new love, it felt like   
everything in my life had become perfect, I was so happy I thought my heart   
would burst you know?"  
"Yeah" Porthos said with a grin "I felt the same when Aramis told me he was   
pregnant, then when he said it was twins?, I could`nt get happier, he became a   
thousand times more beautiful and special, I fell in love with those babies   
right away even though I`ve never even met them"  
"D`Artagnan said our baby will have a silver tail" Athos said "He dreamed of it,   
saw the baby in the egg, a silver tail, and black hair, I could picture it   
myself, see the little boy or girl, all chubby limbs, plump little cheeks, an   
impish smile, and wriggling tail, I could see me and d`Artagnan with the baby,   
and another one on the way, a whole family together....." Athos broke off   
shaking his head, Porthos reaching out and patting his shoulder   
"You`ll get that, he`ll pull through and you`ll have their silver tailed rascal,   
just as me and Mis`ll have our twins, you`ll see, in a few months we`ll be   
looking after new born merlings and this nightmare will be long forgotten"  
"You think so?" Athos asked raising an eyebrow   
"I know it" Porthos said standing up and taking hold of the keg moving it away   
"So, you stay sober and make ready to be a Father, build a pool in your cabin   
for d`Art, and help me build a nursery pool for the little ones, for when they   
get back, because they WILL be coming back". 

 

Athos and Porthos delivered Richelieu to Treville, who ordered his immediate   
execution, having his head taken off at the public square.  
Word was sent to Buckingham, who true to his word sent back several kegs of the   
best brandy and rum money could buy along with a letter of goodwill promising he   
would never trouble the Lands held by Treville.

Constance delivered the message from Aramis that, he and d`Artagnan were safely   
at the Pearl Flats and would remain there indefinately.

Having nothing to do but wait and hope, Athos gave his men extended shore leave,   
taking up dry docks in the harbour and having repairs done on The Musketeer,   
while commissioning new cabins be built in the bottom of the ships hull.

His and Porthos present cabins were given out to crew, and some of the crew   
cabins were then made into storage space freeing up the whole of the ships   
lowest quaters.  
an extra steel plating and built under the hull to support and water tight the   
ship, a large pool was built in the middle of the lowest deck, three to four   
feet deep and spanning two thirds of the ship.  
With the added weight of the water it needed to be in the middle of the ship for   
balance.  
He had new cabins for himself and porthos built on either side of the nursery   
pool complete with beds for himself and Porthos and shallow tubs for d`Artagnan   
and Aramis, little side cabins with small tubs for the babies along side them.

To make the nursery all the more pleasing and homely for the Meres, Athos had   
sea plants brought up and placed in the pool, and working with an engineer had a   
pump system formed so that the water could be drained every day, and gotten rid   
of in times the ship would require extra speed, and fresh sea water to be   
brought in without men having to carry large buckets of water back and forth.

Whether or not d`Artagnan and Aramis would give birth on board, or if their   
natures would insist on an ocean birth neither Athos or Porthos knew, but they   
worked tirelessly to prepare everything for when their lovers got back, and   
after a long month, when The Musketeer finally left dry docks and went back into   
regular port, their prayers were answered.

Both Porthos and Athos were asleep in their new cabins when they were awoken by   
the crew who were grinning like mad men.  
Half alseep and yawning they made their way up on deck to be greeted with a   
sight they had long dreamed of.

In the crystal blue sea below them, Aramis and d`Artagnan swam hand in hand,   
returned to them at last.  
Without even thinking about what he was doing Athos hurled himself off the side   
of The Musketeer down into the sea! and threw his arms about d`Artagnan pulling   
him close half afraid that he was dreaming and if he let go of the selkies he   
would loose him again,  
Porthos was not far behind Athos, but chose to at least remove his shoes and   
shirt before jumping over board and pulling Aramis to him "C`mere you!, been to   
damn long!" he growled as the Siren laughed and melted into his embrace, his   
powerful tail keeping them both afloat as d`Artagnan was doing with Athos who   
had gotten the Selkie almost horizontal in the water his hands on the curved   
mound of his belly, beaming so much it looked as if his face were to split in   
half!  
"Pup looks better" Porthos commented eyeing d`Artagnan, while still too thin,   
his olive skin was looking golden and healthy, his ribs and hips no longer   
appearing as if they were knives jutting from his skin, over the past month his   
body had drawn strength from the ocean itself replenishing his health and   
vitality, saving both his own life and the baby.

"It was a damn close call" Aramis said shifting in Porthos arms as his back   
cramped slightly "I did`nt think he would make it at one point, boys a fighter,   
thats for sure"   
"He is indeed" Porthos agreed running hands down to the large expanse of   
Aramis`s belly "And what of these two?" he asked impressed by their growth in   
the last month   
"Wriggling about all the time" Aramis replied "I think we`ve made jelly fish not   
merlings!"  
"Thats my babies!" Porthos laughed dipping his head to kiss Aramis`s belly and   
almost choking himself on sea water with a loud cheer as he felt movement   
beneath his lips   
"Porthos, lets show them the nursery before you drown yourself!" Athos called   
swimming over to the rungs on side of the ship, lifting up d`Artagnan to be   
pulled on board and then climbing up himself   
"You`ve built a nursery?" Aramis asked   
"Aye, and new cabins" Porthos replied "Just wait till you see it, you`re going   
to love it, you and our little jelly fish!".

 

Both d`Artagnan and Aramis was astonished by the pool that their mates had built   
for them, both diving into the water and swimming laps in enjoyment of the   
spacious aquarium they had been given  
"This is perfect, it`s everything we need" Aramis declared tears pricking his   
eyes, his hormones were making him prone to tears and he hurriedly rubbed his   
face sniffling   
"We wanted you to have something more than simple bath tubs and such" Athos   
explained stripping off and getting into the water with the two Meres, a smile   
spreading over his face as d`Artagnan swam up to him and pulled him into a hug   
kissing his face and whispering in his ear   
"Think it`ll be alright for the little ones?" Porthos asked joining Aramis who   
took him by the hands swimming them in a wide circle before nuzzling up to his   
broad chest "It`ll be perfect for them, pleanty of space for them to swim in"  
"Think you`ll be able to give birth here?" Porthos asked his hands still joined   
to Aramis`s as they floated in the waters Aramis leaning up to kiss him deeply   
"Maybe" Aramis replied "I won`t know until the labour starts if I can or not"  
"I proberly won`t be able to" d`Artagnan said laying on his back now head   
resting against Athos`s left shoulder, the mans arms about his chest and waist,   
hand on his swollen middle and face turned inwards to kiss at d`Artagnan`s   
throat   
"Why?" he asked his voice husky and low   
"Because he`s a Selkie" Aramis replied before d`Artagnan could make a reply "His   
very nature will demand a birth in the oceans he won`t be capable of doing   
otherwise"  
"That means I won`t be able to be with you" Athos sighed both disappointed and   
saddend by this, he did`nt want to miss the delivery of the egg, nore then   
hatching three months after that, but with the depths d`Artagnan would need to   
swim down to, to birth, he would not be able to follow, he`d never be able to   
hold his breath that long, and an egg could not be moved from it`s nest without   
killing the young within.  
More than that, d`Artagnan would not readily leave the nest once he had   
delivered, he would want to guard the egg like any expectant mother would, so   
they would likely be parted for another length of time.

"Maybe I can deliver in shallow waters" d`Artagnan offered reaching up a hand to   
stroke Athos face seeing the distress in the lines on the mans forehead "As long   
as it`s in the open ocean I`ll be alright"  
"I`d rather you delivered where you felt safe and comfortable than tried to   
force yourself to do otherwise merely for my comfort" Athos replied kissing   
d`Artagnan`s cheek "I`m sure you and Aramis can keep me well informed as to how   
the little one is doing"  
"Maybe we could build som`in" Porthos said his cheeks dark with colour since   
Aramis had latched onto his and was kissing his throat, his hands below water   
level doing things neither d`Artagnan and Athos wanted to know about!  
"Some kind of........armour you could wear to swim that deep, somethin` water   
proof that we can run a pipe down into so y`can breath"  
"Think thats possible?" d`Artagnan asked looking at Athos   
"Perhaps"   
"Glass so you can see, metal wrapped in leather, a light weight tube, wrap that   
in leather aswell...." Porthos mused only to gasp and yelp slightly "Bloody hell   
Mis!, hold on will yer!?"  
"C`mon, I`ve missed you!" Aramis moaned rubbing himself against Porthos   
provocativly "I need you!"  
"Believe me darlin` I want you too!" Porthos said "But not in front of an   
audience!"  
"Oh I don`t know, that could be amusing!" d`Artagnan laughed while Athos choked   
and Aramis laughed only to shriek as Porthos lifted him up marching to the side   
of the pool and getting out   
"We`ll continue this later than?" Athos called   
"The talk or the fore play!!!!?" Aramis called back yelping as his backside was   
slapped by Porthos who hurried him in to their cabin slamming the door behind   
him   
"He`s impossible!" Athos sighed as d`Artagnan turned, wrapping his arms about   
the mans neck and curling his tail behind the mans knee to tug him closer   
"We`ve got this big pool all to ourselves" he whispered a half smile on his lips   
"And lots of time to make up for!"  
"So we do" Athos agreed letting himself be pulled into d`Artagnan`s embrace his   
arms about the boys waist as his hands reached down to squeeze the cool scales   
on his backside making d`Artagnan gasp and purr   
"I think we should give this pool a proper christening!" Athos declared "Every   
square inch of it!" 

 

Aramis arched his back, his hands reaching up to grab the net curtain over the   
bed, his tail twitching and vibrating with pleasure as Porthos thrust into him,   
holding him securely in his lap as Aramis squirmed and cried out tugging on the   
netting to lift himself higher and fall back harder on Porthos cock   
"C`mon, faster harder!" he panted his his leaving the netting to span across   
Porthos chest raking his nails over the mans nipples tweaking them to add a   
little painful spice to their love making  
"Don`t wanna hurt the babies!" Porthos gasped his hands running up and down   
Aramis`s smooth back relishing the cool scales against his heating flesh   
"You won`t, we won`t break!" Aramis whispered bending as best he could with his   
belly in the way, to kiss Porthos lips "You don`t have to hold back", he licked   
his tongue over the mans plump full mouth and playfully nipped his bottom lip   
with his teeth giving him impish sparkling eyes that had Porthos growling and   
flipping them over, pinning Aramis down on the bed his knees either side of him   
and thrusting into him with more force making Aramis cry out in loud gasps of   
pleasure his tail slapping against the side of the bed in rythem to Porthos`s   
thrusting, his hands locking about Porthos shoulders holding him tight Aramis   
screamed out his release sagging back into a boneless heap on the bed as his   
climax triggered Porthos.

Panting, and wiping a fine sheen of sweat from his forehead Porthos gently   
pulled out and rolled onto his side laying a protective hand over Aramis`s belly   
grinning at the movement within "Hope you did`nt mind that little ones" he said   
to them "You settle down in there and behave, so I can ravish your mother again   
as soon as I recover!".

d`Artagnan was pressed up against the side of the pool, one hand gripping the   
polished wood, the other reaching back to run through Athos wet tangled hair as   
the man rode him from behind, his mouth seeming to kiss and lick every inch of   
d`Artagnan`s neck and shoulders, his arms about his waist and legs straddeling   
his tail that had gone rigid, his tail vibrating in the water as he mewled and   
moaned   
"So beautiful, you taste like salted caramel!" Athos purred before biting down   
on the flesh between d`Artagnan throat and shoulder making the Selkie yelp with   
the pain and then whimper with pleasure as he licked the puffed flesh "Love you   
so much" Athos panted bracing his knees against the wall of the pool to give   
himself more leverage "I`ll never loose you again", tears of passion and   
overwealmed emotion were squeezed from d`Artagnan`s eyes, his mind beyond   
speach, all he could do was moan and cry out incoherantly as Athos made his body   
buzz and tingle from head to the tips of his fins, three last powerful thrusts   
and d`Artagnan was sagging back into Athos arms breifly fainting for the force   
of his orgasm, making Athos chuckle as he spilled inside the Selkie, holding him   
carefully as they slid back into the water bodies going limp with the blissful   
release  
"Love you Athos" d`Artagnan whispered sleepily as he came back to himself "Never   
gonna part from you again"  
"Hush, sleep Mon petit" Athos said kissing the Selkies temple "I`ve got you,   
your safe, you and our baby", with a smile on his face d`Artagnan closed his   
eyes fully relaxing in Athos strong embrace letting himself drift into a   
peaceful dreamless sleep fully secure in the knowledge that he was home and safe   
with the man he loved.


	6. Chapter 6

"I feel like a beached whale!" Aramis complained as he lay in the pool his   
elbows resting on the polished wooden ledge and a pout on his face as he   
regaurded his swollen body.

He was due to deliver the eggs within the next two or three weeks, and was   
feeling very uncomfortable and tired of carrying the extra weight.  
"I`m getting huge!" He moaned with a dramatic sigh earning a snort of amusment   
from d`Artagnan   
"Maybe you should lay off the crab cakes then!" he teased dodging the splash of   
water Aramis`s tail sent at him, Aramis had been craving crab cakes like mad,   
demanding them several times a day, and heavon help Porthos if they could`nt be   
provided!, he had soon learned that heavily pregnant Sirens were forces to be   
reckoned with!, who knew that Aramis could shout so loud!?, knew so many   
colourful words?, or ways of castration!.

"Just you wait until you`re ready to drop" Aramis said to d`Artagnan, pushing   
away from the side to glide through the water letting it support his weight and   
ease his back a little "You won`t find this so funny then"  
"Ah but I`m only carrying one, so I won`t get as whale sized as you!"  
"Brat!" Aramis shot back "I hope that you`re in labour for hours!, and that it   
is agonising for you!"   
"Oh Mis!, you know you love me really!" d`Artagnan laughed getting a snort from   
Aramis who lay back in the water his hands resting on his bulging belly feeling   
the lively movement of the twins within.

"Have you any idea how long labour is supposed to last?" d`Artagnan asked with   
more than a little currioscity "And umm....exactly whats supposed to happen?".

Aramis sat up with a frown on his face at the question looking at d`Artagnan in   
shock "You don`t know how to give birth?"  
"I know it....I know how women do it, and that for men it...comes out of a   
birthing passage" d`Artagnan replied blushing "But not.....where that is   
or......how its....." d`Artagnan broke off blushing furriously while Aramis   
chuckled without malice, swimming over to him and putting an arm about his   
shoulders "It`s alright, I forget how young you are at times" he said giving   
d`Artagnan`s shoulder a squeeze "It`s pretty simple really, the birthing passage   
will open below your penis slit, through out labour, and once the labours   
finished and your wombs empty the slit will close itself again and reseal   
it`self, you`ll know your in labour and not just feeling gripes and twinges   
because the slit will start to open with a show of blood"  
"Right, okay" d`Artagnan said with a nod "Thats a relief"  
"relief?, how did you think they were born?" Aramis asked   
"Same way they got there!!!!!" d`Artagnan replied meaning the anal slit all   
meres had on the rear of the tail, male meres have a penis slit, their testicles   
remaining internal, while the penis emerged when they were aroused, the females   
have a vaginal slit.

"Same way they....oh dear Melusina!" Aramis roared his body shaking with   
laughter "You are so precious it`s unbelievable!"  
"Oh shove off you over sized blue whale!" d`Artagnan snapped   
"Hey!, don`t you be diss`in my sweetheart now!" Porthos warned as he came in   
with Athos "Or I`ll turn you into crab cakes!"  
"Hmm, have got some!!!!?" Aramis asked eagerly   
"You`ve got the stomach of a great white!" d`Artagnan snipped at him swimming   
over to Athos who slid into the water scooping him up and kissing him deeply   
"How`s our little one?" he asked placing his hand on d`Artagnan`s growing middle   
as Aramis snuggled into Porthos embrace the large man placing a floating tray of   
crab cakes, salmon mousse, seaweed and cheese biscuits, and coconut milk, on the   
water, grabbing a crab cake to teasingly feed Aramis and lick the crumbs from   
his lips  
"He or she is very well" d`Artagnan said snagging a glass of coconut milk as the   
tray bobbed over to them "We still need names though"  
"And at least he now knows how it`ll be born!" Aramis called getting a death   
glare from d`Artagnan for that   
"Whats that about?" Athos asked   
"Nothing" d`Artagnan replied blushing again and muttering something about loose   
tongued Sirens under his breath. 

"Azura?" Athos offered as he and d`Artagnan lay in the tub in his cabin, the   
Selkie laying over him, tail safely wet in the water, the two of them having   
left Aramis and Porthos to their......antics!, in the pool, though Athos had   
grabbed the savoury biscuits before they could become casualtys to Aramis`s   
growing apatite, d`Artaganan had developed a fondness for the seaweed and cheese   
biscuits, though did not have such strong cravings as Aramis, most likly since   
he was only carrying the one mere not two, he had however joined Aramis in   
requesting seasamy seed covered king prawns at two in the morning one time, and   
frequently asked for coconut milk.

He`d managed to gain back some of the lost weight, and was looking much   
healthier, his energy had returned as had his youthful spark that Athos had   
fallen in love with,  
"I`m not sure, Lagoona?" d`Artagnan said   
"Ah no, not a chance!" Athos said shaking his head "Brook?, Clear?, River?"  
"Maybe Brook" d`Artagnan said "Though I like Reef for a boy"  
"Reef?, why not call a girl Coral then?"  
"I hate the name Coral!" d`Artagnan said vehmently "I knew a Coral when I was a   
boy, she`s was the most spiteful bitch I`ve ever known!"  
"No Coral then!" Athos chuckled "I like Reef though, Brook and Reef?"  
"I`m not sure about Brook, what about Meridian?, we could call her Meri for a   
nick name"  
"Meridian?, I like that" Athos agreed "We`re settled then Meri or Reef"  
"In a few weeks we`ll get to meet them" d`Artagnan said running a hand over his   
belly feeling movement from within the egg "I wonder if it`s a boy or girl?, I   
wish I knew"  
"It hardly matters, either way they`ll be beautiful"   
"How`s the deep sea helm coming?" d`Artagnan asked.

Over the past few weeks Athos and Porthos had been working on creating helms for   
themselves so they would be able to swim deep under water to visit the eggs and   
be there for the births, with d`Artagnan it was almost certain he would need to   
give birth in the ocean depths and still likely with Aramis, so the helms were   
going to be very needed if their human mates wanted to be with them.

"There coming along well, we`ve managed to water proof them, and secure air   
supply with twelve ft worth of piping" Athos replied "We`ve had to make the   
glass screen a seperate part though, it kept getting steamed up with our   
breathing"   
"But now it`s fixed?"  
"Yes, we`ve sectioned off the viewing screen and fixed leather underneath so it   
won`t be effected" Athos replied "So providing you and Aramis don`t decided to   
swim twenty or thirty feet down theres no reason Porthos and I should`nt be   
there with you"  
"We won`t go that deep!" d`Artagnan laughed pausing as he heard a loud shriek   
from the pool room following by a bark of wicked laughter   
"I don`t even want to know what they`re doing!" Athos groaned rolling his eyes   
"I`ll bet you a dozen pearls Aramis`s is pregnant again before the years out!"  
"Proberly, d`you want more children?" d`Artagnan asked turning his head to look   
up at Athos "After this one?"  
"I would`nt oppose the notion" Athos replied "It`s your body, you`re the one   
who`s got to do the hard work really!"  
"Yeah, but would you like more babies?"   
"I......"  
"Cause I`d like a big family" d`Artagnan said "I was an only child, and I always   
wanted siblings, so I think we should have lots of siblings for this baby, have   
at least six Merlings!"  
"Six!!!!?" Athos spluttered loosing any notion of dignity as his eyes bugged and   
mouth dropped open "You want six!!!?"  
"Or seven, or eight!, but a minimum of six!" d`Artagnan said "Be great to have   
three boys and three girls!, But I don`t mind all boys or all girls!, or more   
boys than girls or more girls..."  
"I get it thankyou" Athos said cutting into the babble "And I think I`ll need to   
build a bigger ship!, or buy a second ship just to accomodate all these babies   
you and Aramis will be spawning!"  
"Well Aramis told me that he wants to have at least two more by Porthos, at   
least!, so that`ll be four!" d`Artagnan said conspiringly though his eyes shone   
with mischief "However if he has twins another two times then that`ll be six!   
and if I have six with you then we`ll have twelve!"  
"And I`ll have a nervous brake down!" Athos dead panned shaking his head and   
kissing d`Artagnan`s forehead "lets get this little lot born and hatched first,   
then we can think about adding to the brood"  
"You mean you don`t want to practice baby making!?" d`Artagnan`s pout and huge   
brown eyes would have melted ice bergs, Athos did`nt stand a chance against the   
force of such beauty and swiftly lunged for the pregnant Selkie capturing the   
pouting lips with his own as water sloshed over the side of the tub with the   
motion of the bodies.

 

Several weeks later

Aramis had spent the last few weeks of his pregnancy in the pool, feeling to   
uncomfortable with the extra weight of the merlings to bear leaving the relaxing   
feelings of the water which eased the ache in his back and tail.

As the eggs shifted inside him his belly dropped as they moved down ready to be   
delivered.  
This left Aramis with alot of pressure on his hips and tail, his lower back   
constantly aching with the weight bearing down upon it as he waited to deliver.  
An inability to get comfortable for more than a few minutes left him unable to   
get an decent amount of sleep leaving him fatigued and irritable, both of which   
he was more than happy to take out on a long suffering Porthos, whom he   
emphatically blamed for everything!.

With patience known only to saints, and angels, Porthos bore up up well under   
the intensity of Aramis`s discomfort and hormones, putting up with his insults   
and fits of temper, melancholy, and demands.   
Massaging his aching back, rubbing oils into his tail, talling him repeatedly   
how beautiful he was, that he was glowing and radiant, and beyond sexy, fetching   
him drinks and food at all hours, even sleeping on the hard wood beside the pool   
at night to keep Aramis company.

"Will you do that for me?" d`Artagnan asked as he lay in the cabin with Athos,   
the Captain carefully rubbing coconut oil into his tail that was prone to   
becoming dry, either as a side effect of his pregnancy, or after effect of his   
trauma and captivity, but the sweet smelling oil eased any soreness and left his   
scales smooth and shining.  
"Will I do what for you?" Athos asked looking up and stroking d`Artagnan`s fins   
"Sleep by the pool when I`m huge, and grumpy, and demanding like Mis"  
"You`ll never be as demanding as Mis!" Athos said setting aside the oil with a   
smile and lowered d`Artagnan`s tail back into the water of the tub "He`s a born   
drama queen and prima donna!"  
"Yeah but if I do demand like he is?" d`Artagnan pressed, leaning forward to   
capture Athos mouth in a kiss, one hand resting on his belly which was joined by   
Athos`s hand as he slipped his free arm about d`Artagnan`s shoulders drawing him   
into a deeper more passionate kiss that had d`Artagnan purring and reaching up   
to put his arms about Athos neck tugging him closer, pulling him down into the   
tub as his tail began to tingle and vibrate with arousal,   
"Mmmm I want you" Athos breathed "My Selkie"  
"My Captain" d`Artagnan`s moaned clinging to him passionately as Athos braced   
himself against the side of the ready to either climb in or lift d`Artagnan out,   
just as Porthos burst into the cabin a harried by elated expression on his face   
"It`s time!" he cried.

A twinge of pain followed by a deep cramp and a sudden rush of bloody fluid had   
started Aramis`s labour.

Porthos had seemed to go sheet white for a moment when he had been told what was   
happening, then leaped to his feet to run and fetch Athos and d`Artagnan, as   
Aramis arched his back and began to swim slowly through the water, knowing the   
labour would be easier if he kept moving up until the actual delivery.

"You could have still knocked on the door you know!" Athos grumbled as he   
followed a clearly very excited Porthos back into the nursery, d`Artagnan in his   
arms   
"Not like either of you have anything I hav`nt seen before!" Porthos laughed   
jumping into the pool and wading over to Aramis who was panting through the   
first contraction   
"How`s it going?" d`Artagnan asked both currious and nervous considering he   
would be going through this himself soon enough   
"Not so bad at the moment" Aramis replied   
"D`you want to go into the sea?" Porthos asked   
"No, I`m alright here" Aramis said starting to swim again "I think I can deliver   
here"  
"Alright then" Athos said sliding into the water "Lets get ready for a long   
night".

Hours went by, as labours tended to do, the pains coming and going, getting   
stronger and closer together, Aramis surprising everyone including himself by   
bearing them with remarkable resiliance, he clung to Porthos`s strong arms and   
moaned and panted, swam with d`Artagnan, and lay back in the water letting the   
flow of the water ease his pain and allowed his body to do it`s work.

As the night passed and dawn broke Aramis could feel it was time, the birthing   
passage was almost completely open, the pains coming every few moments and the   
need to push over whelming him now.  
"Time" he whispered nodding to Porthos,   
"We`re with you, it`s all fine darlin`" Porthos said his hands shaking in fear   
and anticipation, sharing a last smile Aramis dove under the water letting his   
heavy body sink down onto the deck, d`Artagnan diving under with him and joining   
him by his side, their humans standing beside them as d`Artagnan held Aramis`s   
hand and started to sing, a low hum that carried on the water, making every   
nerve in Aramis`s body tingle, calming him as he arched his back and began to   
push down.

Muscles rippled and and flowed like the ocean waves on a calm day as Aramis   
pushed down, the first egg making it`s way down his body to emerge from the   
birth passage.  
D`Artagnan broke the song to let out a sob of delight at the sight of the newly   
delivered egg, a small and perfect female Merling curled up inside, her small   
hands tucked under her chin her tail of gold reaching up towards her round   
little belly, soft tight curls of black upon her head.

Carefully and reverently Aramis took the egg and placed it by his side his hands   
stroking the pearl like shell smiling at d`Artagnan who was shedding tears of   
pure joy, but they were not done yet.  
Once again Aramis lay down, d`Artagnan hardly able to take his eyes of the egg   
to turn back to him and start to singe once again as Aramis made ready to   
deliver the second Merling.  
Breathing slowly and letting the ocean and the song guide him and his body   
Aramis arched up pushing down with his inner muscles, bearing down as the second   
egg began to slide down the birth passage, d`Artagnan left his side to go down   
to his tail continuing to sing as watching in rapture as the egg began to   
emerge, his hands reaching out to take the egg containing a beautiful male   
Merling with a tail of fiery red, the same tight curls as his sister but his   
skin a shade or two darker than hers, from inside the eye his eyes blinked at   
his Mother who reached for him taking him from d`Artagnan to kiss and caress the   
egg, his tiny tail flickering before he slipped back into sleep.

"Come on down" d`Artagnan said as soon as hs head came up from the water "You`ve   
a son and daughter"  
"A son and daughter!" Porthos gasped bursting into tears of joy "A boy and   
girl!"   
"Congratulations!" Athos laughed pulling him into a hug before the two of them   
went under the water to join the Meres who were curled up beside the eggs, the   
tiny baby merlings within slumbering peacefully, Porthos took Aramis`s into his   
arms kissing him deeply and tenderly stroking his face, with shaking hands   
reaching out to stroke the eggs himself hardly able to believe that they were   
really here and they were his babies.

Athos drew d`Artagnan into his arms stroking his pregnant belly as they looked   
at the two new born merlings knowing that very soon this would be them. 

 

Delphi and Atlanta were truly beautiful merlings, though perhaps Aramis and   
Porthos were a little biased in that, considering they were their first born,   
and "Theirs", but in truth they were adorable.  
Their small perfectly formed faces were cherubic with rosy plump cheeks and   
puckered lips, dark blue eyes shining brightly when they were open.  
Their tiny arms reaching out with impossibly small hands to touch the sides of   
the egg, curriously exploring the new surrounds now they were outside their   
mothers womb.  
Their small tails would flick and kick out as they moved about in the eggs,   
turning themselves over and over in summersaults! and stretching themselves out   
as far as their small little bodies would allow as they reached out, their   
currious hands seeking to touch everything, especially their own tails which   
seemed to fascinate them!.

Delphi`s tail was a blaze of reds, from deep rich burgandy, warm wine and   
cranberry, bright and brilliant scarlet and crimson, dazzling strawberry and   
rasberry, his fin long and wide spanning showing he would be a swift swimmer.

Atlanta`s tail was shining in golds, ranging from dark bronze and honey, with   
shimmering tones of true gold, white gold, and sunlight yellow, with a beautiful   
copper coloured fin that flared at the edge in a fan like shape.

Aramis could hardly bare to be parted from the eggs for more than a few minutes,   
spending his time laying on the pool floor besides them stroking them with his   
hands and singing to the merlings who would kick their tails and blow bubbles in   
the eggs liquid core.  
Porthos used the deep sea equipment that he and Athos had made so he could join   
his lover under the water and watch his children grow.  
At first he`d hardly dared to touch the eggs fearing his hands might be to heavy   
and break the fragile shell.  
However Aramis had guided his hands and shown him that he could touch the eggs   
as along as he was gentle and carefull.  
The first time his children awoke in the eggs and began to move had brought   
Porthos to tears!, the sight of them wriggling and flipping, chasing their own   
tails over and over until they exhausted themselves into slumber again was   
astonishing to him,  
"I told you they were never still when they were inside me!" Aramis laughed as   
Delphi tried to grab at his tail rolling over and over until he landed on his   
belly and looked rather confused at his position, his sister was stretching up   
to press her hands palms flat against the side of the egg pushing at the sides   
as she flicked her tail back and forth like an angry cat being denied   
something!,  
"They`re so beautiful!" Porthos whispered his voice muffled by the mask over his   
face "So perfect"  
"Fancy having more!?" Aramis asked nuzzling up to his side, apparently having   
forgotten his discomfort in the last few weeks of gestation and the pain of   
birth, since he had the delight of seeing his babies,  
"More?, already!!!!?" Porthos asked incredulasly   
"Well not right this moment!" Aramis laughed pressing a kiss to Porthos hand   
"But once they`re hatched and swimming?, want to try again?"  
"Did`nt take much trying last time, but I`ll never complain about trying for   
babies with you!" Porthos said watching as Aramis lay back down besides the   
eggs, on his side, his hands gently stroking them and softly humming to the   
merlings, a smile spread over Porthos face, or rather a larger smile since he   
seemed to constantly be grinning these days!, Aramis had never more beautiful   
than he did right at this moment, his hair longer than normal and flowing in the   
water, his tail shimmering and sparkling like a jewel, his skin creamy and   
fresh, his body still flush with a high healthy glow and slightly rounded giving   
him some extra curves that made him look even more sensual than ever   
"You could tempt a bloody saint!" Porthos growled making Aramis lift his head   
and grin at him   
"Porthos!, really!, in front of the Merlings?"  
"D`Art and Athos could watch them for an hour or so?" Porthos asked with a shrug   
"By all that is Holy Aramis!, I have to have you now or I`ll go mad with desire   
for you!"  
"Oh?, you still desire me then?" Aramis asked laying on his back and trailing   
his finger tips down his torso and belly to rest just above his tail "I still   
excite you?, make you hot?, and hard for me?", the sensual sway of his hips and   
the provocative lap of his tongue over his lips had Porthos all but weeping with   
need!   
"Come then!, before you spill right here!" Aramis laughed taking pity on Porthos   
and swimming for the surface much to the relief of his desperate mate!. 

 

D`Artagnan was a week over due when his time finally came.  
Exhausted, uncomfortable, and irritable, he had been regretting his teasing of   
Aramis during his final weeks of pregnancy as he waited to deliver.  
The egg had grown in a rapid spurt during his final six weeks of pregnancy, his   
navel popping out and leaving him feeling huge and discomforted as his body   
struggled to adjust to the extra weight making his tail and back ache   
constantly, even more so when the egg dropped putting aching pressure on his   
hips that his him unable to find a comfortable position no matter what he did.

As he tried to while away the seemingly endless days up to delivery, he spent   
most of his time in the pool with Aramis`s growing Merlings, the eggs having   
swelled in size the active merlings within getting more restless by the day,   
eager to join the world and swim freely instead of in the small space they   
resided.  
Inside his swollen belly he felt his own merling shifting and turning, just as   
eager to be born now.

Athos was at the end of his tether as he waited for d`Artagnan`s labour to   
begin, being unable to bring his young lover any comfort, or ease his aching   
back and tail, he was fretting and anxious as he waited, dropping anker near   
Azure Rock, preparing to stay out for the next three months until his son or   
daughter was hatched safely from the egg.

It was late evening when d`Artagnan finally went into labour, he was laying in   
Athos cabin listlessly picking a plate of sweet oat cakes when he felt a sudden   
deep cramp slicing through his tail making him drop the plate onto the floor and   
cry out his hand going to his tail and coming away bloody.  
In a second Porthos was through the door since Athos was up on deck "Is it   
time?" he asked   
"Yeah" d`Artagnan replied fear and excitment on his face and in his voice "yeah   
I think so" he broke off and doubled over in pain letting out a loud cry   
"Alright, alright, lets get you into the sea" Porthos said taking hold of   
d`Artagnan and lifting him up   
"Mis!" d`Artagnan moaned clinging to Porthos in fright "I want Mis with me!"   
"I`ll bring him as soon as you`re settled" Porthos promised ducking as he passed   
under the cabin door, Aramis was waiting at the side of the pool "It`s time?" he   
asked   
"It is" Porthos replied wincing at the grip d`Artagnan had on his shoulders,   
clearly the boy was scared, he might know what was happening and what to expect   
but having no control over what his body was doing was enough to frighten him   
"I`ll get him into the sea and come back for you" he said to Aramis who nodded,   
he might not wish to leave his eggs for long, but he would not abandon   
d`Artagnan when he desperately needed an older Mere to help him.

Porthos hard hardly got up on deck when d`Artagnan suddenly squirmed from his   
grasp and flung himself over the side of the ship straight down into the water   
trailing blood behind him   
"Whats happening?" Athos demanded   
"He`s in labour" Porthos replied "He`s scared, he needs Mis with him", without   
waiting for further comment he spun on his heel hurrying back to the pool to   
fetch Aramis while Athos shouted for the crew to get his diving equipment   
detirmind not to miss the birth of his merling.

 

In the sea d`Artagnan swam as hard as he could, tears running down his face and   
fear making him shake all over as pain shot through him like a lightning bolt.  
For the first time in weeks he wished desperately for his Father, wanting him to   
be there, to help him through this.  
Aramis had been so calm, so centered, seeming to just breeze through the birth   
without any difficulty at all, but d`Artagnan could`nt find that same calm,   
could`nt let the ocean speak to his heart and tell him what to do, all he could   
do right now was swim, heading fast and deep, pain and fear giving him speed as   
he went.

On the deck Athos secured the mask over his head as Porthos brought Aramis up,   
he would stay with the eggs while Aramis and Athos helped d`Artagnan, above them   
the sky darkened and thunder rumbled, rain beggining to fall,  
"Is this a bad sign?" Porthos asked looking at the sky which ahd been clear only   
moments before   
"He`s terrified" Aramis said "He`s too young for this, he hardly knows whats   
happening to him, between the pain of the labour, and the residual trauma of his   
captivity he is`nt processing whats happening, he can`t hear the oceans voice,   
he can`t calm himself"  
"Will he be alright to deliver?" Athos asked fear filling him for both   
d`Artagnan and the merling, he had heard stories of Meres being unable to   
deliver, of their bodies fighting the process when they were too scared to   
deliver, the pressure of their bodies about the fragile shell of the egg causing   
a rupture and massive bleeding, leading to the deaths of both mere and merling,  
"The sooner we get to him the better" Aramis said kissing Porthos cheek "Take   
care of Atlanta and Delphi"  
"I will" Porthos said lowering Aramis over the side of the ship "Good luck" he   
whispered as Aramis disappeared Athos following after him.

D`Artagnan was laying at the bottom of Azure Rock, sobbing as pain continued to   
slice through him making him feel like he was going to be split in half!, his   
hands gripped at the rock, his skin bleeding as he cut it clenching his hands so   
hard into the rock, inside him his merling squirmed in fright and discomfort as   
the egg was stopped from moving by his resisting muscles, blood continuing to   
flow from the birthing passage staining his tail,  
"D`Artagnan!", Aramis`s voice made d`Artagnan`s head snap up as the Siren swam   
down to him, Athos following as fast as he could, not being to match the Sirens   
speed in the water.

Aramis dropped down beside d`Artagnan taking his hands and kissing them "Easy   
now Querida" he said stroking d`Artagnan`s face "Mis!, it hurts!, It hurts so   
much!, I did`nt think it could hurt like this!" d`Artagnan wailed  
"I know, I know it hurts but it`s alright, it`s natural" Aramis replied "There   
is nothing wrong, there is nothing to fear Querida, you need to relax now, relax   
and breath through this let the ocean guide you"  
"I can`t!" d`Artagnan cried shaking his head his face creasing and letting out a   
scream as his body was flooded with pain every muscle in his body tensing up   
making it worse  
"Oh hush, it`s alright little one, it`s alright" Aramis soothed pressing   
d`Artagnan`s head to his chest and stroking his face "You can do this, you are   
strong and both me and Athos are going to help you through this" he said nodding   
to Athos as he reached them dropping down beside d`Artagnan and looking to   
Aramis for instruction on what to do   
"Get behind him, take him in your lap and hold him close" Aramis instructed as   
he gently rocked d`Artagnan back and forth "We need to get him relaxed, get him   
calm, once his bodies relaxed he will be able to deliver easily".

Athos sat down with his back to the rock easing d`Artagnan on his lap rubbing   
his neck and shoulders wished he could kiss the frightend selkie but instead   
whispering to him of how much he loved him and their merling promising him that   
everything would be fine, and he had nothing to fear, Aramis meanwhile gently   
massaged d`Artagnan`s tail, working his hands up to d`Artagnan`s hips and the   
base of his back, as the next contraction came d`Artagnan did`nt tense up, his   
muscles relaxing even as he felt the need to fight, between them Athos and   
Aramis managed to calm him enough to let his body do the work and keep him from   
tensing up, easing the pain and letting the passage widden   
"It won` be long" Aramis said "Looks like the little one is in a hurry"  
"See?" Athos said rocking d`Artagnan gently back and forth "it`s alright,   
everythings alright"  
"I, I think I need to push" d`Artagnan stammered   
"Wait for the contraction" Aramis instructed "Let the ocean guide you, you`ll   
know when", nodding his head d`Artagnan shut his eyes breathing steadily and   
began to push his body arching as the egg began to slide down breeching the   
passage as Aramis watched "Keep going you`re nearly there" he instructed as   
d`Artagnan panted and moaned, behind him Athos watching with wide eyes as the   
egg emerged from his body into Aramis`s hands a small a perfect female Selkie   
within, her silver split fin tail curled up towards her forehead   
"It`s a girl!" he cried as d`Artagnan burst into tears of joy reaching out his   
hands to take the egg "A beautiful baby girl".

 

D`Artagnan made the nest at the bottom of Azure rock, collecting sea weed to   
surround the egg, softly singing to the baby girl within who curriously flicking   
her tail of sparkling silver and white gold, her split fin of platinum in rythem   
with the song, her soft tiny hands reaching out to press against the sides of   
the egg and blue eyes watching her mothers movements, blowing bubbles from   
between her heart shaped lips, waving her arms and wriggling about until she   
exhausted herself and fell back into a slumber, her tail curling up towards her   
round little belly a thumb between her lips as she slipped into dreams.

"Our little daughter" Athos whispered shaking his head as he looked down at the   
impossibly small merling inside the pearlescent egg "Our Meridian"  
"I did`nt know I could love everything this much" d`Artagnan said snuggling into   
Athos embrace, reaching out to stroke the membrane of the egg tenderly "I feel   
like my heart could burst!, it almost hurts! I love her so much!"  
"I know the feeling" Athos said squeezing d`Artagnan`s arm gently "I`ve felt   
that since the first moment I had you in my arms, since I learned that I could   
love again, be happy again"  
"You did?" d`Artagnan asked turning slightly to look at Athos   
"I spent five years just existing, just waiting for death, five years watching   
the world pass me by without truely living in it nore even really wanting to, I   
was half dead already, a body living on the outside, but dead inside, and then"  
"And than?"  
"Then I was brought back to life" Athos said with a smile "Brought to life by a   
fiery adolescent Selkie with an angelic face, love in his heart, and fire in his   
belly!", d`Artagnan blushed and looked away from Athos who chuckled and turned   
his face back to him stroking his cheek gently "It`s true, you saved me, not   
just from the ocean and my wife all those months ago, but from myself aswell,   
had we not met, I would have soon drunk myself to death, I had nothing to live   
for, Aramis and Porthos kept me going longer than I would have lasted without   
them, but they could not have kept me alive indefinately, it was you coming into   
my life, bringing me a new chance at love that has saved me, and more than that"   
Athos looked down at his new born daughter placing a timid hand on the shell of   
the egg "You`ve brought me everything I could ever have wanted in my life and   
more besides, I can never thankyou enough for this"  
"You don`t need to thank me, you`ve given me so much aswell" d`Artagnan said   
"You`ve shown me another world!, a world I could never have imagined!, given me   
things I did`nt even know I wanted!, I was born to the open oceans, I never   
thought beyond that, never dreamed that there could be beauty above the waves,   
or on the land, or that such passionate love could be found in the arms of a   
land dweller!"

Athos let out a snort of laughter at that holding d`Artagnan a little closer   
"I`m not much of a land dweller!, I`ve been at sea too long for that   
distinction"  
"Mores the better, or we`d have never met"  
"And we would`nt now have Meridian" d`Artagnan said shaking his head still a   
little in shock that he was a Mother! "I was so scared when she started coming,   
I could`nt........if it had`nt been for you and Mis...."  
"Hush, it`s alright now, both you and she are safe" Athos soothed   
"You don`t think me a coward?"  
"Never!, I was terrified too!" Athos confessed "And I was only observing not   
doing any of the hard work, you`re the one who did that! and brought her into   
the world", his hand joined d`Artagnan`s on the egg "Never feel ashamed for   
being scared, only a fool feels no fear when there is something to be afraid of,   
and you still fought your fear in the end and delivered us our beautiful   
daughter"  
"She is beautiful" d`Artagnan said "The most beautiful merling I have ever seen,   
and she`s ours, our baby girl". 

D`Artagnan would naturally not be parted from Meridian, and spent his time in   
the sea at the nest, having to be reminded to eat and take care of himself by   
Athos when he joined his Selkie lover in the depths for several hours a day,   
while the breathing was no problem with the equipment he and Porthos had built,   
the cold was still an ishue, to long in the ocean left him chilled to the bone   
and seeking a warm bath a good cup of brandy to warm himself back up.

Aramis divided his time between the pool and his own eggs, and checking on   
d`Artagnan, making sure the young Selkie was recovering well from the birth and   
was not suffering any further complications, while he had torn some what during   
delivery which was to be expected considering how slender he was, he was healing   
up without any difficulty, and had bonded immediately with Meridian, so much so   
that he became to involved with her that he forgot that he still had to feed   
himself and take some rest!.

 

The weeks past, the midsummer celebrations coming and going, the crew allowed to   
disembark in life boats to sail to the harbour and view the festivitys and fire   
work displays while Athos and Porthos stayed with their family, watching the   
fire works from the deck of the ship, far more interested in each other and   
their growing merlings than making merry on the shore that night.

Then just a few days later the first hatching began

Aramis had been half asleep, his body curled around the eggs in a semi circle   
with them pressed against his waist and a hand resting over them when he was   
jolted awake by unexpected movement under his hand, opening his eyes he looked   
down at the eggs his eyes widdening as he saw his son and daughter pushing hard   
against the shells and tiny crack lines forming on the surface as the began to   
brake through the membrane   
"Porthos!" he shouted kicking up to the surface and shouting again, startling   
his slumbering lover so much that Porthos fell of the truckle bed he had been   
sleeping on landing in a heap on the floor with his legs dangling into the pool!  
"Whaa?"   
"It`s happening! they`re hatching!" Aramis cried his expression ecstatic!   
"C`mon!".

After shaking his head and freeing himself of the last of his sleepiness,   
Porthos pulled off his night shirt slipped into the pool grabbing and securing   
his mask before ducking under the water.

Beside Aramis he watched transfixed as the babies pushed and kicked at the sides   
of the shell, using their tails to build their strength behind them as the   
pushed with all their might forcing the top of the eggs to tremble and splinter   
and crack until finally the shell broke freeing them from the confines of the   
shell bringing them into the world with a rush of cloudy fluid,  
"My babies!, my babies!, you`re here, you`re swimming!" Aramis cried braking   
into tears that Porthos was already shedding as the tiny clumsy little Merlings   
shakily swam from their broken shells their tails waggling behind them and tiny   
arms reaching out to the bodies of their mother and Father who took them   
tenderly into their arms holding them close for the very first time   
"They are so adorable, beautiful!, they`re perfect Mis!" Porthos whispered   
holding a squirming inquisitive Delphi to his chest, the little boy reaching out   
and patting his Fathers muscles and reaching up to tugg at the mask on his face   
while Aramis had Atlanta tugging on his hair and wriggling her tail over his   
chest   
"Can we take them onto the surface?" Porthos asked   
"Of course" Aramis replied holding Atlanta in the crook of his arms and tickling   
her belly making her giggle and kick her tail   
"C`mon then little love!, lets show you the outside of this pool" Porthos said   
swimming up to the surface and taking the mask off his face pressing a kiss into   
Delphi`s cheek and then into Atlanta`s as Aramis joined him.

The twins looked with wide eyes about them their little hands linking as they   
lay in their parents arms observing the nursery before wriggling away keen to   
taken their first swim, clumsy and un-co-ordinated in the water they splashed   
and giggled rolling and kicking in the water making a game of tag between   
themselves as Aramis and Porthos watched in Awe of them, Athos joining them   
later in the afternoon and spreading the word of their hatching to the crew   
causing a great celebration that brought d`Artagnan briefly to the surface to   
give his congratulations.

However he did not get to meet the twin merlings until several weeks later, when   
Porthos finally relented in his adamance about them not leaving the pool for the   
sea in fear of loosing them! even when Aramis said they would be fine like all   
other Merlings were in the ocean!.

 

"They won`t be too cold will they?" Porthos asked as got into the sea where   
Athos was waiting and snorted in amusment muttering something that sounded   
suspiciously like Mother Hen under his breath!   
"Will you stop fretting already!" Aramis laughed holding the twins to his chest   
who were eagerly wriggling to get free and swim in the ocean for the very first   
time "C`mon!, lets swim!", with that he dived under the water the laughing   
babies kicking eagerly with him, Porthos shot an acid look at Athos who was   
grinning like a cheshire cat! "Wait till your daughters swimming then laugh!" he   
growled diving under the water to follow Aramis and the twins Athos close behind   
him, however when they reached d`Artagnan and Meridian it was clear the twins   
were about to have a play mate join them.

"It`s just started" d`Artagnan said as Meridian kicked impatiently at the side   
of her shell scowling at it and beating her fists against it clearly in a hurry   
to get free and swim with her family and friends  
"Our little Merii!" Athos whispered joining d`Artagnan to watch with baited   
breath as the feisty merling battered on the eggs drawing Delphi and Atlanta`s   
attention who swam shakily over to the egg to watch curriously at the smaller   
Merling within trying to get out as fast as she could  
"Impatient little devil is`nt she?" Porthos commented   
"She`s going to be a bundle of trouble!, just like her Mother!" Aramis commented   
grinning at d`Artagnan who stuck his tongue out at him and cocked his head to   
his side his eyes narrowing and a smirk growing on his face   
"I may be trouble dearest Aramis, but at least I`m not with child again before   
my daughter is a year old!"  
"What!!!!?" Aramis cried   
"You can`t be!" Porthos yelped looking at Aramis while Athos broke into laughter   
shaking his head "You two are worse than rabbits!"  
"Are you sure?" Aramis whispered looking at d`Artagnan who`s attention was back   
on Meridian who was nearly through the egg her palms flat against the side while   
her tail kicked fiercely behind her   
"You`re pregnant Mis, about two weeks along I`d say" d`Artagnan replied "Only   
the one this time, thank Melusina!"  
"Another baby!" Porthos said with a grin pulling Aramis to him "You are   
incredible my love!"   
"You`re not angry about this?" Aramis asked "It is rather soon"  
"So long as you`re happy and healthy I`ll have a dozen babies with you my love!"   
Porthos said holding him close "A brother or sister for Delphi and Atlanta!,   
nothing could make me happier than that", had Porthos not had the mask on they   
would have kissed however they contented themselves in watching their twins swim   
round Meridian as she pushed as hard as she could on the shell of her egg,   
Porthos hand resting on Aramis`s belly over the new merling within.

A few minutes later Meridian pushed her way into the world, squirming free of   
the egg and into d`Artagnan`s hands, with tears running down his cheeks causing   
a light shower above the ocean he brought his daughter to his chest, Athos arms   
wrapping about him and his hands joining d`Artagnan`s in holding the tiny little   
Merling her little hands patting and pawing at them and eyes looking each and   
every which way, "She`s perfect, she`s........I can`t find the words" Athos   
whispered as d`Artagnan half sobbed half laughed and nodded his head to over   
come with emotion to speak.

Currious Delphi and Atlanta swim up to Meridian reaching out with tiny plump   
hands to touch her, drawing her attention in turn and with a giggle she wriggled   
free to swim shakily with her new play mates for her very first swim, their   
little hands joined and small tails propelling them forward in circles around   
the nest as their parents watched them in pure joy   
"It`s going to be fun trying to keep these three out of trouble" Athos said   
smirking as Meridian showed her defiant nature and broke free from the Sirens to   
swim her own way flipping over onto her back and then rolling over onto her   
belly to kick forward once again starting a game of chase with her new friends   
"Her especially I think!"  
"And all the others we`ll be having" d`Artagnan said drying his eyes "I want to   
have a son next!"   
"Oh, this from the little Selkie who was taking pops at me for being pregnant in   
less than a years after delivering my twins?" Aramis asked with a smirk "The   
little Selkie who`d never deign to lay with a Human?"  
"Shove it Mis!" d`Artagnan laughed opening his hands as Meridian swam towards   
him and brought her to his lips to kiss her "My little star fish!, I love you so   
much" he whispered "Me and your Papa have a whole world to show you both above   
and below the ocean, a world that`ll be open and safe for you and all our   
family".

 

Epilogue

They brought the Merlings up onto the deck, and let them swim in a shallow tub   
so the crew could see the small family they had made.

At sunset a volly of fire works was let off with a large celebration for the   
babies, Athos and Porthos having loud healths drunk to their Meres and their   
merlings, Aramis`s new pregnancy being declared which brought about much shocked   
barks of laughter and slaps on the back.

As the sun set completely below the horizen Athos called for attention holding   
d`Artagnan in his arms and Meridian in his   
"Azure Rock has always been named thus for it`s blue colour, but now I think it   
should be given a new name, a name more fitting for the great joy that has been   
brought here, hence forth the dell on the south side shall be known as The Heart   
of the Ocean, the place where my first born came into the world"  
"To Meridian, Delphi and Atlanta!" Porthos declared holding his cup aloft "And   
The heart of the ocean!"  
"The heart of the ocean!" the crew declared raising high their cups and letting   
off another batch of rockets that lit up the sky with silver, red, and gold   
lights to match the tails of the small perfect Merlings in their parents arms   
watching the sky over head with sleepy but currious eyes all looking forward to   
the next day.

The End


End file.
